The History of Erbil

Erbil is the third-largest city in Iraq after Baghdad and Mosul. The city lies eighty kilometres east of Mosul, and is the capital of Kurdistan.

The modern town of Erbil stands on a tell topped by an Ottoman fort. During the Middle Ages, Erbil became a major trading centre on the route between Baghdad and Mosul, a role which it still plays today with important road links to the outside world. A population of Assyrian Christians (about 20,000) lives mostly in suburbs such as Ankawa.

Things to do in Erbil

Erbil provides visitors with several places to explore. These include the citadel of Erbil amd the Sami Abdu Rahman Park. Explore history while you’re in the city and take a walk around the spacious park

The citadel of Erbil

The Citadel of Erbil is an ancient citadel located in northern Mesopotamia in the historical city centre Erbil. The citadel was built on layers of archaeological ruins which represent consecutive historical settlements since the building of the first village there around the 6th millennium BC. The total area of this citadel is 102,000 square metres and it rises 26 metres above ground level

Sami Abdul Rahman Park

Sami Abdul Rahman Park is a beautiful municipal park in the western part of Erbil and is the perfect place to take a walk. The park is spacious, covering several hectares, and a nice place to go for a run if you feel like getting a little exercise during your stay. You can even do a spot of climbing on the park’s climbing wall. Naturally, there’s a children’s playground and there’s a lake where you may choose to go rowing, or just watch others row by. 

Flying to Erbil

Erbil International Airport was opened in autumn of 2005 and accommodates scheduled flights to a number of airports in the Middle East. Erbil International Airport was opened in autumn of 2005 and accommodates scheduled flights to a number of airports in the Middle East. Adjacent to the existing terminal, the KRG built a new $500 million airport which has the capacity to accept the largest aircraft in the world, including the Russian Antonov 225 cargo plane and the American C-5 Galaxy. The new Erbil International Airport opened its doors in 2010.