2024-05-19T17:35:16-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150145066/unesco-finally-recognizes-iraq-s-babylon-as-a-world-heritage-site Katherine Guimapang 2019-07-08T18:31:00-04:00 >2024-03-15T01:45:58-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/d7/d73981735ee4d86aa5d20869cf6863bb.png?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>Since 1983,&nbsp;<a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/110554/iraq" target="_blank">Iraq</a> has lobbied to have Babylon, the "Mesopotamian metropolis," recognized as an official <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/619246/world-heritage-site" target="_blank">World Heritage Site</a>. For three decades, Iraq persisted until finally, on July 5th, a committee met in Azerbaijan to vote for the city to be recognized by <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/6771/unesco" target="_blank">UNESCO</a>. According to a <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/07/iraq-babylon-listed-world-heritage-site-unesco-190705143103423.html" target="_blank">piece in <em>Al Jazeera</em></a><em></em>, Iraq's UNESCO World Heritage Committee representative stated, "What is the world heritage list without Babylon? How to tell the history of humanity without the earliest of old chapters, Babylon?"&nbsp;</p> <figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/34/348aff2992af20002f3a5c86525bfb26.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/34/348aff2992af20002f3a5c86525bfb26.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Reconstructed ruins of Babylon. Image courtesy of unsualtraveler.com</figcaption></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f7/f7ff89a9294dc73159974de1301653e8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/f7/f7ff89a9294dc73159974de1301653e8.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>The Ishtar Gate at the ancient archaeological site of Babylon, south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. Image &copy; Hussein Faleh/AFP</figcaption></figure><figure><p><a href="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/72/72eb8aaad4cb6938a63d2c8201d12b3e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=1028" target="_blank"><img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/72/72eb8aaad4cb6938a63d2c8201d12b3e.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;w=514"></a></p><figcaption>Remains of the original walls from the Tower of Babylon. Image &copy; Toby Johnson</figcaption></figure><p>Located near the Euphrates River south of Baghdad, Babylon was the center of the Babylonian empire. Recognizable by its temples and towers made of mudbricks, Babylon is famously associated with the Tower of Babel as well as the Is...</p>