There
are no shortages of things to see in Iraq. The country that was once and
still is known as the Earth's First Civilization has plenty of historic
and cultural things to see. One site you must see when traveling to Iraq
is the National Museum of Iraq. Located inside this museum are priceless
collections of artifacts and the hands of Victory Arches. Currently
there are talks by some vested Iraqi parties as to whether or not the
arches should stay as an historical site or if they should be taken
down.
A landmark worth seeing is the Two Level Bridge in Jadriyah. This bridge
was in the making since before Saddam Hussein took over in 1979. But as
part of the reconstruction of the city, the bridge was built and now
connects to Al-Doura and Baghdad. Most of the sites that you see today
have been in some part affected by the conflict. The Baghdad Zoo was one
of the largest zoos in the Middle East but during the invasion in 2003
only about 35 of the 650 animals survived.
The Zoo was ordered to be placed under protection and soon the American
Engineers helped to reopen the facility. Some of the other interesting
sites to see are the Baghdad Train Station, The Ctesiphom. The Monument
of the Unknown Soldier.
If you want to see more culture, visit the Sacred City of Shiites,
Najaf. There are a few mosques located in that area, if you search
enough you will find the sacred tomb of the Ali ibn Abi Talib who was
the founder of the Shiites. The city of Mosul was built in a maze
formation; if you walk around the city's narrow streets you will see
where Muslin Cotton started.
If you are looking for some true history, visit the oldest city in Iraq,
the Arbil. This city dates back to 10,000 years ago. The city is still
inhabited, you can really learn a lot about how the city started and how
it has progressed throughout the years.
Iraq has some really great tourists spots and they are fun to see and
you really can learn a lot about the country that there are hundreds of
misconceptions about. Iraq really has a great history and it is worth
seeing. Though some of these sites we mentioned may have some damage to
them from the war but it only adds to the history of the site.
