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Photo: Mohammad Ali Huzam from Baghdad, Iraq, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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.
The Baghdad Zoo is a 200-acre (81 ha) zoo originally opened in 1971 and located in Baghdad, Iraq, in the Al-Zawraa Park area along with the Al Zawra’a Dream Park and Zawra'a Tower. Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the zoo housed 650 animals. After being nearly destroyed during the 2003 Iraqi war, when only about 35 animals survived, the zoo was reopened in 2003 and now houses about 1,070 animals.
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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.
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.
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.
Anglican church, built in 1936.