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Kirkuk Citadel
Castle in Kirkuk, Iraq From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Kirkuk Citadel (Arabic: قلعة كركوك;[1] Kurdish: قەڵای کەرکووک;[2] Turkish: Kerkük Kalesi[3]) is a citadel and associated structures located in the centre of Kirkuk, Iraq, and is considered to be the oldest part of the city. The citadel stands on a 40-metre-high (130 ft) tell, located on a plateau across the Khasa River.
In April 2021, the 42.5-hectare (105-acre) citadel site was added to the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[4]
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History
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The origins of the citadel are disputed; some historians believe the oldest parts of the structure were built by the nomadic Gutian people around 3,500 years ago,[when?] others assert that the citadel was constructed by the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II between 850 and 884 BCE.[5]
King Seleucus I Nicator[6] built a strong rampart with 72 towers around the 72 streets and the two entries to the citadel. A jewel of the citadel is the so-called "Red Church", with traces of mosaics dating to the period before the Islamic conquest of Iraq in the 7th century CE. It is believed that Timur visited the citadel in 1393 during his military expedition. The modern walls date from the Ottoman period.
In the late 1990s, Saddam Hussein, announced a campaign to "beautify" the walled citadel that involved the construction of a museum of architecture and the forced removal of mostly Kurdish and Turkoman inhabitants of the citadel including the destruction of approximately 700–850 houses. All that remained were nine monuments and nine small groups of houses.[7][8] Between 1998 and 2003, inappropriate methods and materials were used to renovate the remaining structures.[7] As of March 2025[update], parts of the citadel were at risk of further deterioration due to severe neglect.[9]
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Structures
The citadel, beyond its fortifications, contains a number of other structures including the Great Mosque – completed in the 13th century CE, the Green Dome – completed in 762 AH (1360/1361CE), the Prophet Daniel Mosque that is believed to contain the Tomb of Daniel – completed in the 15th century, the Al-Aryan Mosque – completed in 1142 AH (1729/1730 CE), the Al-Qaysariyah Market and the Chaldean Church – both completed in the 19th century, and a number of heritage houses.[4][10] The religious sites are notable pilgrim and worship sites for both for Muslims and Christians.[7]
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Gallery
The Prophet Daniel Mosque, believed to contain the Tomb of Daniel
The domes and minaret of the Prophet Daniel Mosque
Ruins of the Catholic Chaldean Church
The shrine of Gok Kunbet, within the citadel
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References
External links
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