The ancient city of Amadiya (dating from the Assyrian era) located on a high promontory above a breathtaking landscape and fed by a geothermal spring originating far below the mountain. 90 Km northeast of Dohuk; about 1400 m above sea level; surrounded by heights it was once an almost impenetrable fortress. The city Gate (Bab Zebar) is located in the eastern side of the City of Amadiya. Its width was 4 meters, built by Imaduddin Al- Zanki in 5-600 AD.A minaret is located in the middle of Amadiya. It is 30 meters high.
The Islamic ornamentation (arabesque) is clearly.seen on the minaret. It was built in the time of Sultan Hussein Wali and was part of an already existing ancient city. Pass by a third Century Synagogue and at the base of the mountain visit an ancient Egyptian Madrasa reportedly founded by the University of Cairo centuries ago.From Amadiya you can easily travel to scenic Gara Mountain and visit the ruins of one of Saddam’s palaces.
There were 10 palaces built in the same region – all of which were opulent complexes where meals were prepared in each three times a day in anticipation that Saddam ‘might” visit at any moment. One of the palaces was venue to extravagant parties hosting the world’s glitterati and a nearby stadium and pool was under construction where Saddam hoped to one-day host the Olympics. Almost nothing remains of the palaces as the people of Kurdistan tore them all down when liberated from Saddam in 1991 to express their anger at the genocide he perpetrated against them.
Unfortunately, the Guide to Kurdistan is no longer available. Only a few of the 20,000 copies originally printed remain.
The exciting news is that we are introducing two unique guides-a revised edition of the Kurdistan Guide and the first ever full-color Guide to the Republic of Iraq. These two volumes will not only cover more than 500 archeological sites but also delve into the fascinating cultures of Iraq, such as the Yezidis and the Marsh Arabs.
The guides will be published initially in three languages, along with an electronic version, and will feature the latest mapping technology and other innovative features. While there are a few smaller guides to the region, none have ever presented Iraq in the manner in which these elegant two-volume guides will.
Upon completion, the Guides will be launched in several locations worldwide, including London, Washington DC, and locally in Erbil and Baghdad, Iraq. The launches will be coordinated with a public relations campaign aimed at bringing the wonders of Iraq to the world and the world to the wonders of Iraq.
The new set of Guides will be published in late 2025. Much of the production work has been completed, and we are now at a crucial stage of obtaining sponsors for this approximately two million USD project. Please sign up below if you wish to be notified when the Guide is available. t box. Click again or double click to start editing the text.
