The Ancient City of Nineveh

Nineveh is yet another classic name on the list of Iraqi TWHS. Although it was present as a trade colony at the time of Ancient Mesopotamian civilizations early on, Nineveh’s heydays came with the Neo-Assyrians in the 9th century BC and spanned a relatively short period. It was their last capital and the end of the Assyrian Empire. In its time, it even was the largest city in the world. This Historical Travel Guide explains what you might have seen there when you were lucky to visit it in the 7th century BC. 

The archaeological site of Nineveh can now be found in Mosul, across the river from the Old City. You will mostly notice the earthen walls surrounding it. The interior lies, as with so many things in Iraq, mostly unexcavated after the Assyrian sculptures were taken from it in the late 19th century and whisked off to museums around the world. The area is protected, but some poor people have set up camp there. 

In addition to the walls, the most notable features are the gates. We visited two of them, very similar. You need a lot of imagination to see monumental entrances to a flourishing city in them. The gates also suffered from a lot of damage done by ISIS.