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All Iraq

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Iraq

22 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Iraq

Updated February 15, 2023

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Baghdad mosque houses Saddam's blood Quran.
Baghdad
The Lalish shrine.
Al Shikhan
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Unusual Attractions in Iraq

Saddam Hussein's new construction on the ruins of Babylon.

Hillah, Iraq

Babylon

Celebrated as a center of civilization, the remains of the ancient city have been nearly destroyed by greed, egoism, and war.
(Flickr/james_gordon_los_angeles)

Samarra, Iraq

Great Mosque of Samarra

9th century Abbasid mosque, damaged in modern warfare.
The Lalish shrine.

Al-Shikhan, Iraq

Lalish Temple

The sacred shrine of the Yazidis.
Aerial view of the Erbil citadel (also known as Hawler Castle)

Erbil, Iraq

Erbil Citadel

An ancient fortified mound raised over the millennia from settlements built one on top of the other.
The Bahdinan Gate.

Amedi, Iraq

Bahdinan Gate

This beautiful arched gate is all that remains of the fortress the ancient mountaintop town of Amadiya once was.
Baghdad mosque houses Saddam's blood Quran.

Baghdad, Iraq

Saddam Hussein's Blood Quran

A 605-page Quran penned in the blood of a dictator is locked away in a mosque.
The Tree of Knowledge today.

Qurna, Iraq

The Tree of Knowledge

A shrine on the shores of the Tigris.

Dokan, Iraq

Qyzqapan Tomb

Ancient rock-cut tomb? Definitely. That of a great Median king? Unlikely.
See All 22 Things To Do in Iraq
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Ancient 8
Ruins 5
Sacred Spaces 5
Military 5
Military History 3
Religion 3

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Stories About Iraq

A 1902 illustration of battling dryptosaurs.

Wonder Is Everywhere: Lost Dinosaurs, 5,000-Year-Old Leftovers, and More From Around the Web

Get a peek into what we’re obsessed with right now.
by April White
February 15, 2023
Archaeologists believe this head belonged to a figurine representing a high priestess of Ur.

History’s First Named Author Was a Mesopotamian Priestess

Her name was Enheduanna.
by Sarah Durn
December 22, 2022
The Syrian Cassette Archives website currently hosts 91 fully digitized cassettes, including interviews with artists and distributors.

The Quest to Preserve Syria's Cassette Tape Era

Keeping sounds, stories, and cultural memory alive through years of conflict.
by Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing
November 29, 2022
Climbing date trees can be a perilous task.

How Baghdad’s Backyards Are Bringing Back Iraqi Dates

A company is using garden trees to revive an ancient industry.
by Charlie Metcalfe
July 1, 2022
Cloves and apples make a simple but meaningful memento.

Reviving the Romance of the Kurdish Clove Apple

These fragrant fruits are deeply symbolic.
by Ramsha Zubairi
June 1, 2022
Courtesy of the Penn Museum, image no. 251051

The Most Lavish Mesopotamian Tomb Ever Found Belongs to a Woman

And her clothing tells an important story, says archeologist Rita Wright.
by Sarah Durn
February 10, 2022
Customers return to Maktaba al-Sham in Mosul's Old City. Shopping for books on Najafi Street is a tradition that dates back more than a century.

The Only Bookstore on Najafi Street

Four years after the Iraqi city of Mosul was liberated from ISIS, Daud Salim is the first—and the only—bookseller to return to the storied street.
by Pesha Magid
August 26, 2021
This silicone doll plays a central role in Hanging Gardens.

A New Generation Is Remaking Iraqi Cinema

“If we can’t make the revolution on the streets … we can make it in cinema, sending a message, spreading our vision of the world.”
by Laura Silvia Battaglia
July 13, 2021

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