Travel & Places
A park opens around an ancient tower in Iraq
On October 20, 2026, the first section of an archaeological park opened at Aqar Quf, an ancient city near Baghdad.
On October 20, 2026, the first section of a new archaeological park opened at Aqar Quf, near Baghdad in Iraq. With the park, one of the most important places of ancient Mesopotamia is now open to the public. Italy's ambassador in Baghdad attended the opening, and Italy's foreign ministry shared the news the next day.
Aqar Quf is the modern name of an ancient city called Dur-Kurigalzu. It was founded more than 3,300 years ago by a king called Kurigalzu, whose name is part of the city's name. It was the political capital of the Kassites, a dynasty that ruled in Mesopotamia for several centuries. The ancient city covered 425 hectares and stood near important trade routes between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
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The parts of something old, such as a building or a city, that are still there after the rest has gone.
Its remains still rise about 50 meters above the flat land around it.