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#ReviveTheSpiritOfMosul 🇮🇶 🇮🇶 🇮🇶

#ReviveTheSpiritOfMosul
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That's the part of Mosul old town's neighborhood that UNESCO and EU have started to restore, in order to give life back to this amazing historic city!!
@unesco is rebuilding the iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and its Al-Hadba Minaret, the Convent of Our Lady of the Hour and Al-Tahera Church, heritage houses, Al-Aghawat Mosque and Al-Ekhlas school in the Old City of Mosul.
Check my stories out for more 📸 from this interesting area.

*ΝΕΟ ΑΡΘΡΟ* Οδηγός για σόλο

*ΝΕΟ ΑΡΘΡΟ* Οδηγός για σόλο ταξίδι στο Ιράκ!!
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Το Ιράκ θα έλεγα πως είναι μια σχετικά εύκολη χώρα για να την επισκευθεί κάποιος μόνος του. Εγώ ταξίδεψα εντελώς ανεξάρτητα τον περασμένο Απρίλιο για 12 ημέρες, συν άλλες 5 στο Ιρακινό Κουρδιστάν.
Μέσα στο καινούριο μου άρθρο μπορείτε να βρείτε όχι μόνο χρήσιμες πρακτικές πληροφορίες που θα σας βοηθήσουν να οργανώσετε ένα σόλο ταξίδι, αλλά και τις δικές μου προσωπικές εμπειρίες από την υπέροχη και φιλόξενη αυτή χώρα.

🇬🇷https://www.tripsofourlife.com/odigos-gia-solo-taxidi-sto-irak/
Link in bio ☝️

The destruction of Mosul 🇮🇶 Since 2017, when

The destruction of Mosul 🇮🇶
Since 2017, when the Iraqi forces regained full control of Mosul from ISIS, this particular side of the old town, placed close to the shores of the Tigris river, still remains under the ruins of the war.
Bodies and bombs are still buried there, while some stones are painted in red color as a warning to prevent random explosions.
📸 by @hu1.7

📌 a night stroll around Mosul, 7 years later

📌 a night stroll around Mosul, 7 years later 🇮🇶

The city of Mosul, which means "the linking point" in Arabic, is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been a strategic location between north and south, east and west and was captured by ISIS in 2014.
During the occupation and the battle for Mosul, buildings were destroyed, centuries-old mosques and churches were burnt down or severely damaged. Since the defeat of ISIS in 2017, around 5 million people have already returned to their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration.
The old city at the "Right Bank" (west side) of Tigris river is still devastated, while a part of it has been reconstructed by UNESCO and UN.

The alternative mosque & minaret of Samarra is the

The alternative mosque & minaret of Samarra is the impressive Abu Dulaf mosque, just 20km north of the town of Samarra.
This ancient historic monument is placed in an open area in the middle of the desert, and everyone can visit for free.
The spiral minaret reaches 32m, lower than the one of Samarra, but the view from the top to the surroundings is truly spectacular.
I visited Abu Dulaf by a private taxi from the mosque of Samarra just for an hour, since there is nothing else to see around that area besides the flat desert.
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The Great Mosque of Samarra was the world's larges

The Great Mosque of Samarra was the world's largest mosque at the time of its construction. It's famous for the 52m high minaret, the Malwiya Tower spiraling cone, or else "The Twisted Minaret" or "The Snail Shell Minaret", that was originally connected to the mosque by a bridge.
When I visited (April 2024), the whole area was closed due to constructions.
Fortunately, the guard was a very kind man, who let me inside for a while and helped me with the photos. However, I couldn't go further close to the minaret, as it wasn't allowed for safety reasons.
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P.S. in order to enter the town of Samarra where the minaret is located, the visitor has to leave his/her passport at the first check point and collect it again on the way back.

My last sunset over Tigris river was so special, t

My last sunset over Tigris river was so special, that I will never forget! 🇮🇶
The Iraqi capital left me speechless in only 3 days, offering me the sweetest feelings and the most precious moments!
My beloved Baghdad, it was such a pleasure to meet you!! I've been missing you already! ❤️

A few more last 📸 of the friendly people and w

A few more last 📸 of the friendly people and wonderful murals in my favorite neighborhood.

📌 Kadhimiya, Baghdad 🇮🇶

Al-Kadhimiya area is said to be one of the oldest

Al-Kadhimiya area is said to be one of the oldest towns in Iraq, as a holy city by Twelver Shia muslims.
Kadhimiya Mosque is beautiful and interesting, although less impressive that the ones of Najaf and Karbala.
I chose to stay in this neighborhood because the hotels were cheaper than in the old town of Baghdad. I had no idea that in order to get inside this area I had to pass through security check points and be dressed with abaya and hijab all the time.
However, I loved Kadhimiya!
It was the most picturesque and genuine neighborhood of the whole Iraqi capital, while the center of the holy town and the shrine were crowded and busy all night long.
Regarding the shrine, unfortunately it was the only one that I couldnt take photos of its interior, since using mobile phones/cameras was strictly forbidden.
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The most interesting and beautiful part of Baghdad

The most interesting and beautiful part of Baghdad to explore on foot was Al Anbareen neighborhood in Kadhimiya area. 🇮🇶
Iraqi painters of the “Butterfly Effect” team have taken the initiative to decorate the alleys’ walls by drawing heritage murals and now this old and ex-ugly place feels like an open air gallery!!

Baghdad was really awesome, but my experience woul

Baghdad was really awesome, but my experience would be incomplete without visiting the unpopular coffeehouses of Al Rashid str. 🇮🇶
Less impressive than the famous Shabandar cafè of Mutanabee str, still they felt like a living museum.
The unique decoration reflects the culture, history and heritage of the country, while some of them are dedicated to the legendary "Star of the Orient" Umm Kulthum, an Egyptian singer, songwriter and film actress, active from the 1920s to the 1970s.
Needless to say that I was the one and only tourist and woman there, but that's usual in such small local cafès, even in my country. I wouldn't bother spending time with a bunch of men playing cards or chatting about football in Greece, however in Baghdad's coffeehouses, the interaction with the locals was one of a kind!

The Baghdad Archaeological Museum's huge collectio

The Baghdad Archaeological Museum's huge collection tells the epic story of human civilization, from the earliest settlements to the rise and fall of vast empires. These artifacts, some of them more than 10,000 years old, show the development of everything from hunting and writing implements to mathematics, art, law, religion, and industry.
Its collections are considered among the most important in the world and the Museum has traditionally exhibited collections featuring the 5,000 year long history.
The types of objects in the collection represent Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Islamic cultures and include objects made of glass, pottery, metal, ivory, and parchment, among others.
(via www.theiraqmuseum.com)
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