The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil
By A Mystery Man Writer
Last updated 17 Jun 2024
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://www.mei.edu/sites/default/files/2020-02/Erbil%20-%20GettyImages-534941054.jpg)
The history of Erbil’s citadel reads like a cinematic epic worthy of Cecil B. DeMille Possibly one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited human settlements, the citadel is built on a series of archaeological layers crowned by Ottoman-era houses. It may have been the site of a temple to Ishtar, was an important center of Nestorian Christianity, and survived both the 13th-century Mongol invasion and an 18th-century siege by Nader Shah. It was home to the Medians and the Assyrians (who called it Arbela), Muslims and Jews, and has housed Sufi shrines and displaced squatters. Its mound-like form has been shaped by successive generations of inhabitants and invaders who simply built on top of the rubble of their predecessors.
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W82LfuypCcI/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLBJAUSr5IMq2nMQrEYrmXtI1DVbLA)
Oldest Citadel 6000 Years Erbil Citadel and surrounding areas 4K
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/max_2600x2600/public/2021-09/Erbil%20Citadel%20Kurdistan%20Iraq%20History3.jpg?itok=qjveCzOa)
In pictures: Inside the Erbil Citadel, one of the world's oldest
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://img.atlasobscura.com/HWtfr_9Ta0xx_dfp2MWs76wapjk-meRUETVtSgtIwV4/rt:fit/h:390/q:81/sm:1/scp:1/ar:1/aHR0cHM6Ly9hdGxh/cy1kZXYuczMuYW1h/em9uYXdzLmNvbS91/cGxvYWRzL3BsYWNl/X2ltYWdlcy9jdnp5/dTJ6b3E4YjEyNWEx/MmFlNGZjNDc4MjJj/OV9JTUdfMjI5NS5K/UEc.jpg)
Erbil Citadel – Erbil, Iraq - Atlas Obscura
Sofiaputìa
Sofiaputìa
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://www.topworldimages.com/photos/Erbil-Citadel1.jpg)
Erbil Citadel - Erbil Governorate Iraq
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://www.wmf.org/sites/default/files/styles/project_gallery_full_size/public/projects/gallery/irq-erbil-citadel-heritage-complex-main-court-original-facade-during-cons-2019_12_7.jpg?itok=72uhDhVB)
Erbil Citadel World Monuments Fund
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEE5r86XMAA8p1H.jpg)
Sajjad Waheed (@wsajjad) / X
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GEDEERZa4AA0Q4X.jpg)
Sajjad Waheed (@wsajjad) / X
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2015/02/24/citadel-street-scene_custom-d36d473ce6506c9987e1e58cfa82e15b5745f6e4.jpg?s=5)
After 6,000 Years, Time For A Renovation At Iraq's Citadel
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/145000/145544/chicagozm_oli_2019193_th.jpg)
History on a Hill
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://p1-tt.byteimg.com/origin/pgc-image/7743cc599fbb4b848ef39e72db63eafe.jpg)
Erbil Citadel, Iraq: The oldest castle in the world, a house 6,000
![The 6,000-year saga of the Citadel of Erbil](https://www.topworldimages.com/photos/Erbil-Citadel6.jpg)
Erbil Citadel - Erbil Governorate Iraq
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