Erbil Citadel

The Citadel of Erbil, capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, rises dramatically on a great tell, an artificial mound built up over millennia of continuous settlement, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth. Its ring of tall, close-packed house facades forms a fortress-like crown above the modern city, enclosing old lanes, a historic mosque and a textile museum, and it is inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. At its foot spreads the lively Qaysari bazaar, a warren of stalls, teahouses and workshops. Together they offer a genuinely rewarding glimpse of the region's deep heritage and everyday life.

History

The mound may have been occupied as early as the Neolithic, and clear evidence of settlement goes back to the Chalcolithic, which is why the citadel has been called the oldest continuously occupied town in the world; Erbil first appears in writing around 2300 BC, as Irbilum in the archives of Ebla. Under the Ur III kings it was Urbilum, sacked by Shulgi and then absorbed into their state, and in the Neo-Assyrian period, as Arbi-Ilu, four gods, it was a religious centre whose goddess, Ishtar of Erbil, was one of the chief deities of Assyria. The Battle of Gaugamela was fought nearby in 331 BC, and under the Sasanians and the Abbasids Erbil was an important centre of Christianity. The Mongols first attacked it in 1237 and took the citadel in 1258 after a six-month siege, Ilkhanate troops took it again on 1 July 1310 and massacred its defenders, and its importance declined. In the 20th century a number of houses and public buildings were lost as the town was remodelled, a steel water tank put up in 1924 harmed the foundations through seepage, and the population fell as people moved to the modern city below, until in 2007 the remaining 840 families were moved out for a restoration project; on 21 June 2014 the citadel became a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Citadel of Erbil).

What's there

• The citadel mound - the great tell of continuous ancient settlement.
• The ring of facades - the fortress-like crown of old houses.
• The Qaysari bazaar - the lively old market at the citadel's foot.
• The old lanes - the historic mosque and museums within.

When to go

October to April, the cooler and often pleasant months, are best for climbing to the citadel and wandering the bazaar, avoiding the hot summer; spring brings green to the surrounding hills. The mild seasons suit the outdoor exploring the citadel invites.

What to expect

Parts of the citadel's interior have been under long-term restoration and periodically closed, so the ring of facades and the views may be more accessible than the inner lanes at any given time. As one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth, a UNESCO World Heritage site above a bustling bazaar, though, Erbil Citadel is a genuinely rewarding highlight.

Nearby

The Qaysari bazaar, and the mountains and towns of Kurdistan, lie around Erbil.