The Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery is visited by millions of Muslims from various parts of the world. This international visitor base makes it a distinctive gateway to Najaf’s cultural profile. But the destination can be explored through more than this cemetery alone: the Tarat, the Culture and Arts Palace, and the waters of the Bahr al-Najaf depression also offer different cultural and natural themes.

The Tarat: Natural Landscape and Cultural Heritage

The Tarat of Najaf are a historically and socially significant part of the city’s natural surroundings and are connected to its history and cultural heritage. These areas have not yet been archaeologically investigated. This connection particularly appeals to travelers interested in the interplay between landscape and history.

Water Bodies in Najaf Governorate

In Najaf Governorate, the water bodies in the Bahr al-Najaf depression are a significant natural area and a natural refuge for bird and wildlife species. While the Tarat bring the historical and social connection to the city to the fore, Bahr al-Najaf draws attention to the ecological side of the governorate. For travelers interested in landscapes and wildlife, this is a distinct facet of the destination.

Cultural History at the Culture and Arts Palace

The Culture and Arts Palace in Najaf adds the history of a cultural institution to the city’s history. Following its official opening on 26 December 2005, it hosted cultural conferences, festivals, exhibitions and seminars. This adds another theme alongside the historical and natural connections: the venue’s history of cultural events.

Historical Perspectives in Iraq

Hatra and Samarra offer further historical perspectives in Iraq. Hatra is an ancient fortified city founded on the ruins of an Assyrian settlement. It is located in northern Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates, in an open semi-desert landscape. Adapted to the topography, the city complex is remarkably circular. Its well-preserved double city wall bears witness to Hatra’s historical significance and to the influences of Assyrian-Babylonian, Aramaic, Greek, Parthian, Roman and Arab cultures. A local museum is housed in rooms of the temenos, or Great Temple.

Samarra is also located in Iraq. From 836 to 892, the city was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. Samarra is considered the only surviving Islamic capital to have preserved its original layout, architecture and art, including mosaics and carvings. The archaeological city includes the 9th-century Great Mosque and its spiral minaret. Samarra also preserves the Al-Malwiya and Abu Dulaf mosques, which are among the largest mosques. 80 percent of the site remains unexcavated. In contrast to Hatra, the focus here is on the history of the capital and the preserved Islamic urban fabric.

Discover more destinations: Najaf, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Arbela, Baghdad, Al-Karbala.

For the main travel overview: Iraq.