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Photo: Botsojoy, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Home of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
As-Salam Palace is a palace located on Al-Kindi Street in the Green Zone of Baghdad, Iraq. Rather than serving as the residence of the former president of Iraq Saddam Hussein and his family, it primarily housed visiting foreign dignitaries. Since 2012, the palace has been certified as a Republican Palace.
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حديقة حيوانات بغداد
The largest zoo in the country, opened in 1971. It was destroyed in the 2003 war but has quickly recovered. There are, however, few larger mammals to see.
قوس النصر
A huge pair of triumphal arches celebrating the alleged victory over Iran. Also known as the Hands of Victory. It marks the entrances to a former parade ground. In Ba'athist times, lavish victory parades and commemorations were a common event, showcasing military power and Saddam Hussein's cult of personality. Two arches feature thousands of captured Iranian helmets, symbolizing victory over Iran in the 1980s.
صرح الجندي المجهول
Inspired by the glorification of a martyr from the Iran–Iraq War. The monument represents a traditional shield (dira¹a) dropping from the dying grasp of an Iraqi warrior. The monument used to house a museum which is now mostly empty. Ask the Iraqi soldiers who guard the monument for permission.
Historic mosque and shrine, dating back to the Abbasid era.
شارع أبو نواس
Baghdad's famous riverside promenade, named after the 8th-century poet. The street comes alive in the evenings with families, street food vendors, tea houses, and restaurants serving fresh masgouf (grilled carp). One of the best places to experience everyday Baghdadi social life.
المتحف العراقي
Covering the history of Mesopotamian culture, this museum housed a huge collection before the Iraq War. Many pieces were looted, but in 2022, the museum was refurbished and reopened.