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The largest mosque in Erbil, named after Jalil Khayat who took the initiative for construction, but passed away in 2005 before it could be completed. His sons finished the project in 2007. The mosque architecturally resembles the style of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo, and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. It is widely regarded as having one of the most beautiful interiors. It relies on a combination of Islamic architecture and al-Abbasi design, except for the domes which are of Ottoman design. Standing 48 m tall, the main dome with a diameter of 20 m dominates the mosque. It is surrounded by 4 half domes and 12 quarter domes. With an area of 15 000 m², the mosque has a capacity of 1 500 to 2 000 visitors.
The Jalil Khayat Mosque is a Sunni mosque in Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is the largest mosque in Erbil. The mosque was begun by Jalil Khayat, who later died in 2005, and it was completed in 2007 by his sons in memory of their father. The mosque is located on 60m street, in front of the Van Royal Hotel.
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مزگەفتی گەورە
Erbil's historic central mosque, still open despite renovations on the Citadel.
قەڵای هەولێر, Qelay Hewlêr
The Citadel is a in the centre of the city. It is a round structure, 30 meters high which dominates the old city and has been built upon seven layers of civilization. The total area of the Citadel is 110,000 m². The history of its building dates back to 6000 years and has been continuously inhabited since its founding. The citadel has seen the reign of many historic civilizations including Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and Assyrians. Other ancient powers including the Achaemenian, Seljuks, and Sassanians also dominated the Citadel before being finally conquered by the Muslims. The Citadel of Erbil consists of three main quarters: Topkhana, Saray, and Taki, with a total of 605 houses in the areas. Picturesque view from the upper floors of the opposite shopping center. As of June 2024 the Citadel was still undergoing restoration. While visitors can walk to the top and see the main square and road (and have their picture taken overlooking this by a man with a professional-quality camera, who charges 5000 Iraqi Dinars for five shots and transfers the photos to your phone with a USB cable immediately after), most of the back streets are blocked off. Construction and excavation make the views much less picturesque, and mosques were closed.
مۆزەخانەی ڕستن و چنینی کوردی
Small museum that displays textiles produced in Iraqi Kurdistan, as well as traditional clothing and other artifacts. Located in a restored early-twentieth century traditional house.
بازاڕی قەیسەری
Erbil's historic covered bazaar, built out of vaulted yellow brick. It is similar to many others found throughout the Middle East and North Africa, but with less tourism than most. Market stalls sell everything from cheap toys and pirated DVDs to bulk spices to fine jewelry and carpets.