Erbil Travel: The Citadel and the Kurdistan Region

Erbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr, rises around its Citadel, an oval mound some 30 meters high built up by successive settlements over at least six thousand years. Its walls of tightly packed houses, its gate and its Kurdish Textile Museum make it the heart of the city, and the Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Below, the covered Qaysari Bazaar sells honey, spices, nuts, textiles and copperware, and the square in front of it fills with families in the evening around the fountains. Beyond the old center, Erbil has grown into a modern city of malls, parks, international hotels and a lively café culture. For the wider country, see our Iraq travel and heritage guide.

Walk the Citadel early in the day and visit the Kurdish Textile Museum, with its carpets, kilims and felt. Wander Qaysari Bazaar and the streets around Shar Park. See the Mudhafaria Minaret, a tall twelfth-century brick minaret in Minaret Park, and the grand Jalil Khayat Mosque. In the evening, the Christian neighborhood of Ankawa is known for its restaurants. Respectful dress is appreciated throughout the city, especially at mosques; our page on customs and etiquette has advice.

Erbil is a growing commercial center with new residential towers, gated villa communities and retail developments, and it is a regional base for trade and energy companies. For the country's wider plans, see Iraq Vision 2030 and the Development Road.