When you hear Iraq, you might conjure up terrorists and civilian strife; but, this less-traveled country is more than we just see in the media. It is, to your surprise, a really beautiful and highly bestowed place in the world with some of the best attractions unparalleled in beauty and relevance. Thus, if you are on your way to the Middle East, you might as well consider stopping by Iraq for some time.

Travelling to Iraq is not a safe option today, but with right precautions in place, you can have really good time here. We recommend you to write down the name of the places first, learn about them in detail, hire professional guide services, and consult your country’s embassy for making a more informed decision. Once you have done all of this, you are more or less prepared for the visit.

To ease your task, we have picked a few really good places in Iraq which you should visit. So, let us take a look at these places, and we know you will end up getting surprised by what this country has to offer.

5 Best Places to Visit When in Iraq

  1. National Museum of Iraq

Historically, Iraq has been a great source of information on ancient human civilization, and all of the remnant artifacts have been duly preserved in a number of its museums, most notably the National Museum of Iraq.

The National Museum of Iraq exhibits many relics from the affluent Mesopotamian civilization dating back to about 5.000 years ago and marvelously displayed in 20 galleries. You will also stumble upon stones and sculptures dating back to 3500 BC and the famed Nirumgold decked out in ancient precious stones.

Iraq is not about terrorism—it never was. Instead, its true contribution lies in the sphere of early human civilization, distinct culture, and language. If you are a travel monger, you ought to be in Iraq once in your life to experience first-hand what has been forced underground due to political instability, terrorism, and all other unhealthy factors.

  1. Great Mosque Samarra

The Islamic jurisprudence thrived in Iraq, and this evident from the architectural bliss, political structure, and society. Many misunderstand the contribution of Islam, but the mosques in Iraq will prove you wrong and convince you into believing that Islam gave birth to many incredible architects of all time—and this is among many other contributions.

Great Mosque Samarra, which is incidentally the former biggest mosque in the world, is a feast to the eye. Characterised by spiral design, which is, unfortunately, the only thing left of the grand mosque, this monument was once the centre of the great mosque.

The Mosque was substantially destroyed in the 11th century and later abandoned by its caretakers. Despite all these years, the mosque has survived the ravages of time and continues to attract visitors to bathe in the glory of Islam.

  1. Hatra

Next on our list is Hatra, which is an exquisite place to visit in Iraq. An embodiment of Iraq’s invaluable history, this fortified city was once controlled by the Parthian Empire and is situated in the middle of a desert. If you are wondering how old it is, well, it is about as old as 100s AD.

Harta has a bit of a tumultuous but engaging history: it was once the capital of the great Arab Kingdom, and its fame was such that even Romans tried capturing it. The Romans were taken aback by its strength and their siege was nothing but a huge setback.

When in Hatra, you would be in awe of the marvelous designs and decorative art that characterized it. While you may roam around and inside Hatra on your own, we recommend you to hire services of a guide from a professional agency to get authentic accounts on the history of this city.

  1. The Grand Bazaar

Well, if it is not Grand Bazaar, then we really do not know where you can have the best shopping experience in the entire country.

Sulaymaniyah’s grand bazaar is huge—huge enough to take at least half of your day, and even longer if, in case, you lose your way. But, trust us, you will be not deprived of fun whenever and wherever you are in the bazaar.

You can find almost everything that you need—trinkets and souvenirs, spices, chickens and a string of cheap but luscious restaurants.

In case, and quite obviously, you seek some solitude from the craziness around you, you should head towards the neighboringGoyke Mountains.

  1. The Great Ziggurat of Ur

Finally, the grandest architecture you will find in Iraq—the Great Ziggurat of Ur. It is an ancient city of the glorious Sumerian empire dating back to 3rd millennium BC and still stands as beautifully as it would have in its young days. Most of the city is gone, but whatever remains of it is a sight to behold.

The city was the worshipping place of the deity Nanna, the Goddess of Moon, and the temple, which is the only standing remnant, was made in her honor.

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