Why Citadel of Erbil
The Citadel of Erbil, known locally as Qellat, is an ancient, occupied settlement mound forming the historic heart of Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Rising between 25 and 32 meters above the surrounding plain, this oval-shaped tell covers approximately 102,000 square meters. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, the landmark is celebrated for its extraordinary human longevity, with evidence suggesting continuous habitation that spans thousands of years.
Pottery fragments discovered along the mound's 45-degree slopes indicate activity as early as the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Historical records first mention the city around 2000 BC in the Ebla archives. Over the millennia, it passed through the hands of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Medes, Achaemenids, Seleucids, Parthians, Romans, and Sassanids. During the Neo-Assyrian period, it was a major religious hub dedicated to the goddess Ishtar of Erbil. The city later became a notable center for Christianity and was eventually ruled by various Islamic dynasties, including the Hadhabani Kurds, Seljuk Turks, Begteginids, Abbasid Caliphate, Ilkhanate Mongols, and the Ottoman Empire.
The top of the mound measures roughly 430 by 340 meters and was historically divided into three districts: the Serai for prominent families, the Takya for dervishes, and the Topkhana for craftsmen and farmers. Its perimeter features a continuous ring formed by the outer facades of roughly 100 closely packed houses, supported by buttresses along the steep slope. Three access ramps on the northern, eastern, and southern slopes lead up to the citadel's gates. Within the complex, visitors can find the Mulla Afandi Mosque, an 18th-century hammam, and the Kurdish Textile Museum, which resides in a restored mansion in the southeast quarter.
Directly south of the mound lies Erbil's traditional commercial quarter, established around the late 12th to early 13th century. At its core sits the covered Qasariyah market, a maze of narrow alleyways sheltered under corrugated iron roofs. Here, specialized lanes showcase cobblers, jewellers, carpenters, tinsmiths, and butchers, along with vendors offering local honey, cheeses, traditional fabrics, and hand-crafted Klash shoes.
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