History

The Citadel Town of Erbil, or Qala’t Erbil, is an impressive elevated settlement that has been inhabited continuously for millennia. Although it’s exact origins cannot be traced with certainty, there are strong archaeological indications and finds, however, to indicate that it goes back to some 6000 years. The fortified town itself must have been present during to the Assyrian Period (1365-612 BC), or some 3000 years ago.

Some archaeologists believe that the site has been settled in since the Neolithic to Mid Bronze Age period (6000-1500 BC).

There are several conjectural possibilities as to how Erbil Citadel Town originated and developed its present form. They may be outlined as follows:

1. Gradual Accumulation:
That the mound represents a gradual accumulation of historical settlement layers rising slowly to reach its present height of some 30 meters. If one assumes that the age of the citadel is around 6000 years then this means that its height has been rising at the rate of 1 meter every 200 years. Although this rate seems to be a very slow one but is, nevertheless, reasonable when compared with archaeological evidence.

2. Assyrian Settlement:
That it may have been an Assyrian settlement with a ziggurat in the middle surrounded by temples. And that when it was destroyed and abandoned, it turned into a heap of ruin. Then, at a later stage, it compacted and presented itself as a very useful “Tell” and defensible ground for human habitation.

3. Man-Made Mound:
That the mound was artificially created by people who desired to live in this fertile land but needed a fortified site. Of course, this would have needed a massive human effort which is unprecedented in the history of human settlements in Mesopotamia.

4. Natural Mound:
That the mound was a natural one, perhaps a few meters high and risen gradually by human habitation. The flat land geography of the area, however, makes this proposition unlikely. Also, the shape and the slope of the Tell appear so ‘organized’ that it makes it unlikely to have been a typically undulating natural mound.

Location

The citadel town of Erbil lies in the middle of the Greater City of Erbil. It lies between longitudinal lines (45.05 E, 43.4 E) and latitudinal lines (37.20 N, 36.25 N). Although it is now completely engulfed by the huge expanse of the modern city it still lies at the heart of the busy central commercial district.

Erbil is the Capital City of the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq and is about 350 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, 80 kilometers southeast of Mosul, and 96 kilometers northwest of Sulaimaniya.
The city may be reached by car from all major towns of Iraq and also from the neighboring countries of Iran, Turkey, Syria and Jordan by a modern system of highways. There is also an international airport which is only about 7 kilometers west of the citadel.

Once you are near the citadel you may walk up the steps of the Southern Gate or walk up the ramp of the Northern Gate. Alternatively, you can take a taxi to take you up the northern gate. Then, from either gate you may walk through the meandering alleyways of the town and visit its beautiful restored houses, the mosque, the public baths (hammam), and its numerous cultural attractions and museums. Moreover, certain vantage points at the peripheral wall of the town offer fantastic views of the city of Erbil below- ideal for the keen photographer.

Topografy

The citadel town of Erbil is elliptical in overall form and rises to about 28-32 meters above the surrounding city below. Because of this height it dominates the city’s skyline although, recently, this visual domination has become seriously threatened by new high-rise commercial development very close to it. If this high-rise development is continued to be allowed it will soon be completely suffocated and its dramatic visual dominance will be a thing of the past.

Its longer dimension (east-west axis) is about 430 meters long and its shorter one (north-south axis) is about 340 meters long. It encloses an area slightly more than 10 hectares. The slope, which surrounds the citadel all around, is earthen and steeply inclines between 35 to 60 degrees. The slope is steeper on the northwestern side than other sides.
The climate of the city is semi-arid continental in nature, with four clearly defined seasons. Summers are hot and dry with mean temperature highs of 39-43 degrees Celsius and without rainfall. Winters are mildly cold averaging some 7 degrees Celsius with an average of 56 mm. of rain. Spring is a most pleasant season in Kurdistan. Mean high temperatures range from 13-18 degrees Celsius in March to 27-32 degrees in May.

However, during the hot summer time, the citadel enjoys a markedly cooler micro-climate. This is because its narrow alleyways provide continuous shade and induce pleasant breezes. Moreover, the interiors of its traditional buildings offer a very pleasant and comfortable environment. Open courtyards are usually planted with trees and occasionally have water fountains. The thickness of brick walls and other passive cooling techniques such as semi-basements and window screens offer added advantages.