Iraq
by Geoff Hann
Iraq Travel Guide – Travel information and expert advice including Baghdad hotels and restaurants, archaeological sites, history, culture, safety and visas, itineraries and tour operators. Also covered are the Kurdistan Region, Erbil, Basra, Great Ziggurat of Ur, Nineveh, Khorsabad, the Marshes, the Shrine Cities of Kerbala and Najaf, and Babylon.
Size: 135 X 216 mm
Edition: 3
Number of pages: 440
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About this book
This thoroughly updated third edition of Bradt’s Iraq remains the only dedicated guide to this ancient land. Up-to-date travel information is included, plus all the necessary safety details. Ideal for both armchair and in-destination travel, it covers history, archaeology and culture, including iconic sites such as Babylon and Ur, the stunning architecture of the country’s mosques, the natural beauty and wildlife of the Marshes and beautiful Iraqi handicrafts. New for this edition are more archaeological sites in the south, including Telloh and Charax Sparinou, Alexander the Great’s port city. Muslim sites and festivals are covered, as is the influence of Shia Islam and the geo-politics of the region.
The modern development of Iraq is starting to look exciting and after years in which ancient sites have suffered destruction and neglect, archaeologists are now breaking new grounds and making new discoveries. Iraq’s rich and inspirational history is easily forgotten in the tragic turmoil of recent years. This is where writing began and where zero was introduced into mathematics. Although parts of the country remain off limits to tourists, there is plenty to see elsewhere, from Kurdistan’s capital, Erbil, one of the world’s oldest inhabited cities, to the dazzling shrines of Kerbala, Najaf and Kufa, ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cities, sites of recent US military history such as Fallujah, and the grave of Gertrude Bell, who explored, mapped and excavated the world of the Arabs and provided military intelligence for TE Lawrence’s military activities. You can visit the Tombs of the Iraqi Royal family and Ctesiphon, the largest free-standing brick archway in the world, see archaeological proof of the great flood, mentioned in the Bible and the Gilgamesh, and discover the treasures of the National Museum of Iraq.
The authors bring their considerable knowledge and understanding of Iraq to provide all the practical and background information needed for a successful trip. Advice on cultural awareness and religious sensitivity in the context of Iraqi history, along with where to get the latest information on which parts of the country you can still visit, make this an invaluable guide.
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About the Author
Born in High Wycombe and founder/Director of the Adventure companies Hann Overland and Hinterland Travel, Geoff Hann is an experienced overland traveller and adventurer. Since the mid-1960s he has travelled extensively in the Middle East and Asia taking many groups from London to Kathmandu. More recently he has led groups to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Iraq. His love of history and taste for exploring little-known routes has led him to travel extensively in Iraq, and during the Iraq-Iran conflict his groups were often the only travellers there.
Tina Townsend-Greaves was born in Huddersfield and worked for many years in the Civil Service before taking up her current role at Overgate Hospice, Elland. She has travelled very extensively throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan and has visited Iraq many times in recent years.
A lifelong enthusiast for learning, her degrees in Law and Security Management have often come in useful on her travels.
Additional Information
Table of ContentsIntroduction
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter 1 Background Information
Geography and climate, Natural history and conservation, Government and politics, Economy, People, Language, Religion, Education, Culture
Chapter 2 History
Early Mesopotamia, Before Sumer, The Sumerians, Babylon and Hammurabi, The Assyrians, Babylon revisited, Persian conquest, Alexander the Great, The Umayyads, The Abbasids, The Mongols, The Ottomans, Modern times
Chapter 3 Archaeology
Introduction, The history of archaeology in Iraq, Archaeology in Iraq today
Chapter 4 Practical Information
When to visit, Highlights, Suggested itineraries, Tour operators, Red tape, Police and military, Getting there and away, Health, Safety, Women travellers, Travellers with disabilities, LGBTQ+ travellers, Travelling with kids, What to take, Money, Budgeting, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays and festivals, Shopping, Media and communications, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively
PART TWO BETWEEN THE TWO RIVERS
Chapter 5 Baghdad and Environs
History, Getting there and away, Getting around, Tourist information and tour operators, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink, Arts and entertainment, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Around Baghdad
Chapter 6 East and West of Baghdad
Baquba, Around Baquba, The international border crossing in Diyala Province to Iran, Fallujah, Around Fallujah, Ramadi, Around Ramadi, The international border crossings in Anbar Province to Syria and Jordan, Rutba, Balad,
Samarra, Tikrit (Saladin), Around Tikrit, Bayji
Chapter 7 Kirkuk and Mosul
Kirkuk, Around Kirkuk, Mosul, Around Mosul, To the north of Mosul, To the east of Mosul, To the west of Mosul, To the south of Mosul
Chapter 8 The Road South
History, Kerbala, Around Kerbala, Ukhaider, Around Ukhaider, Al-Hilla, Babylon, Around Babylon, Ancient Borsippa
(Birs Nimrud), Al-Kifl or Chifal, Kufa, Najaf, Around Najaf, Al-Hira, Heading further south, Diwaniyah, Nippur (Niffar),
Isin, Samawah, Around Samawah, Uruk, Larsa (modern Tel Senkereh), Tel Ubaid, Eridu (Tel Abu Sharein), Ur, Nasiriyah
Chapter 9 Return from Basra
Basra, Around Basra, Al-Qurna, The Marshes, Al-Uzair, Al-Amarah, Al-Kut, Al-Hiba (Lagash), Wasit
PART THREE IRAQI KURDISTAN
Chapter 10 Practicalities in Kurdistan
General information, Practical information, Highlights, Suggested itineraries, Tour operators and guides, Red tape, Embassies and other representation, Getting there and away, Health, Safety, Women travellers, LGBTQ+ travellers, Travellers with disabilities, Travelling with kids, What to take, Money, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays, Shopping, Arts and entertainment, Media and communications, Business, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively
Chapter 11 Erbil and Environs
History, Getting there and away, Getting around, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink,
Entertainment, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Around Erbil
Chapter 12 Duhok and Environs
History, Getting there and away, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where
to eat and drink, Entertainment, Shopping, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Towards
Turkey, South of Duhok, Northeast of Duhok
Chapter 13 Sulaymaniyah and Environs
History, Getting there and away, Getting around, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink,
Shopping and entertainment, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Around Sulaymaniyah
Appendix 1 Language
Appendix 2 Further Information
Appendix 3 Bibliography
Index