This is Baghdad! An Exploration of the Legendary & Notorious Capital of Iraq (Cultural Travel Guide)
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- čas přidán 13. 04. 2024
- Baghdad, a city that has risen and fallen countless times over the centuries, is enjoying a period of relative peace. I took the opportunity to walk the streets of a city that I had long wanted to explore.
The capital of Iraq has spent much of the last 20 years in turmoil, but there are few more resilient cities in the world. It has rebuilt itself many times over.
There has been a settlement here on the Tigris for nearly 4000 years. The famous fortified round city from the 8th century developed into the richest city in the world. An epicentre of trade and learning. Then came the sieges of the Persians and the Mongols, and the destruction of Tamerlane, not to mention catastrophic floods and plagues. Ottoman rule from the 15th century then gave way to British rule, followed by the regime of Saddam Hussein, followed by the American invasion which led to sectarian civil war. Thankfully Islamic State were held back, but only just. If ever a city deserved a period of peace its Baghdad. But you won’t find much peace on the roads. Don’t think of renting a car here. Red lights have no meaning and there appear to be no rules.
No target was off-limits during the worst years of the civil unrest. The Mutanabi street book market, long a symbol of intellectual freedom, was blown apart by a car bomb in 2007. 30 people were killed. The wreckage of the car is now an exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London.
Museum.
There were no winners in the tragic Iran - Iraq War but Saddam nonetheless erected a victory arch with replicas of his own hands holding two swords. It stands in the Green zone, a heavy guarded city within a city which houses government buildings, embassies and residences of the Baghdad elite. An enduring symbol of the fragile peace in this city.
A monument that I was keen to see was the Martys Monument. Two Giant tear drops commemorating both those killed in the war with Iran and now also the Kurdish and Shia victims of Saddam Hussein. Access is restricted but you can’t help but be moved by the significance of this vast sculpture.
It’s estimated that 15,000 items were stolen. Many have been lost forever, but the work that has been done to reassemble Iraq’s heritage is remarkable. The museum houses so many treasures from sites such as Babylon, Hatta, Nineveh, and Nimrod that the casual observer would never be able to image what had happened here. It may lack a shop, a cafe and the other facilities of its cousins in Paris, London and New York, but make no mistake, this is a world class museum.
Apart from the museum there is little other evidence of the richness of Baghdad’s past. The city is choked with traffic, and sprawls in all directions with little evidence of investment and development when compared say to Erbil in Kurdistan. The international hotel chains are still absent. But some new developments are being marketed so perhaps the cityscape may be very different in ten years time, if the peace can be maintained,but whatever is coming next Baghdad will endure, as it always has.
Big thanks to Qutaiba Ahmed (qtoursiraq.com).
Tour arranged through Rocky Road
Filmed October 2024
Jonathan Wheeler
@TravelObscurer
Music licensed through Artlist
#baghdad #iraqtravel
Iraq is a safe country and its people are generous, a country that is the cradle of civilizations
Welcome to Iraq 🇮🇶
😭😭😭😭BRO don't fully trust the west,
go and see how they helping stealing land from Palestine by what is called "realstate"
they prove to call people stupid because they trust them the "The Sykes-Picot Agreement" should be big example and prove ..they promise the Palestinian..
love and respect to my Iraqi brothers and sisters from Saudi💞
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭please pray for Iraqi people they start many amircans come to iraq and make vlog like this SOMETHING IS WRONG
@@SCOTLANDforEVER12976
شبيك ماشايف
@@x2Lucifer شايف شنو؟=/
Peace for Iraq and prosperity
اهلا بك في العراق
Love from indonesia 🇮🇩❤🇮🇶
Brilliant video thanks. Hopefully peace will last.
Thank you. Yes, it's a precarious peace.
Nice video - Baghdad and Iraq are on the list!
Thanks!
@@TravelObscurercan I ask, i noticed many wester men come to iraq and vlog like you at similar times ... are came from the same trip plan or what is your connection..
@@SCOTLANDforEVER12976 No connection. I travel independently. I did not see any other film-makers.
@@eyescotland ....=_= ok just what encourage you to do so?, do you think it is good place to work in?
You're very welcomed here! ❤️❤️
I am very happy 😊
This is my country ❤
Well come 😊
Thank you!
😢😢😢😢 بغداد ياحب العمر
We need that guy as tour guide in Iraq.
تصوير جدا جميل ومحترف
Thank you.
The tour guide seems awesome 👌
Yes, Qutaiba is a great guy!
Thank you and welcome to iraq
I love to Visit Baghdad Iraq 🇦🇱
Welcome to Iraq. I hope you enjoy your time and come to Holy Karbala, Basra and Najaf ❤
Thank you. I visited Holy Karbala. The film will be ready soon. I hope you like it.
@@TravelObscurerThank you, impatiently waiting for the video. Your video blogs are very beautiful ❤I hope you will do Arabic translation so that Arabs know about your channel and follow you. You deserve the best
أهلا وسهلا بك في العراق
لو أمريكي جمهوري = حط في بالك صهيوني على طول
ة
قال الامام الرضا (عليه السلام): من لم يقدر على ما يكفّر به ذنوبه فليكثر من الصلاة على محمّد وآله، فإنّها تهدم الذنوب هدماً، وقال (عليه السلام): الصلاة على محمّد وآله تعدل عند اللّه عزّ وجلّ التسبيح والتهليل والتكبير. اللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد ---=-==-=-=-=-=-
Nice video!
Thanks! - Jonathan
Welcome to Mesopotamia 🇮🇶🌴🚢
مرحبا بك في بلدي❤ لولا الاستعمار الامريكي لكانت العراق من افضل الدول❤
لولا الامريكان لكان لايزال الدكتاتور وعائلته القذرة تحكم وراتب الموظف اقل من دولار ولا تقدر ان تستعمل الموبيل ولا يوجد شبكة ولا انترنت ولا حرية سفر ولا تشتم وتنتقد براحتك ومصيرك بعد التخرج هو العسكرية ويطيح حظك بعدها
I loved this video, thanks for sharing ;)
Your Iraqi tour guide has Avery nice English accent
Welcome to in iraq 🇮🇶🇮🇶❤
Nice video
Thank you!
Love from Iran
Medieval Voice actor
I am Iraqi, welcome to your second country 🇺🇸🇮🇶
it's already their country, don't worry 😂
@@lionskid2393 No, it is not like that, this is our country and they are our guests, but out of our generosity we always tell tourists that Iraq is your second country.
🇮🇶🥺
❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉😢
Chaos! Sadam destroyed the fabric of this ancient society! These people are a mixed of Persians, Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Assyrians, Jews and many other minorities.
❤❤❤❤❤
نأمل من الحكومة العراقية ان تولي اهتمامها بنضافة بغداد، وفرض القانون
❤❤❤❤❤❤
I recommend u visit Ramadi & Fallujah at the west, it really developed rapidly comparing to the destruction and noise ISIS left
Hopefully on my next visit. I did visit Mosul to see the development there.
والله منظر التوك توك بالشوارع يفشل.
اي بالله عبالك بنغلادش 🤦♀️
@@baneenaljarah5728 مع اللاسف
0:42 whos dat in the painting ????
The owner of this painting belongs to a very powerful historical figure. This is Imam Ali, peace be upon him, successor after the Seal of the Prophets, the Messenger Muhammad. The United States classified him as the greatest ruler in history and the best man. He ruled Muslim countries at that time and did not make anyone poor in it. He made peaceful coexistence between religions, and they also called him a fighter. Among the Arabs, he is called Elijah by Christ and by Islam, Ali. He is the bravest fighter and the strongest man. There is a lot of information about him. I have given you part of it. If you knew the rest of the information, you would be surprised by his greatness. ❤
🇮🇶🤝 🌍
بلاد الرافدين ❤
Thanks for the video! Unfortunatly almost all vloggers visitng bagdad does not show the new areas. There are all lot lot lot of new built places which almost reminds of dubai (almost) but other than that great videos!
Here is what i mean (and its not erbil, its baghdad)
czcams.com/users/shorts7BtUw9BDTMg?si=UZW2v9Oko2M5VVIL
Thank you. Unfortunately I had very limited time as it's very expensive to visit Baghdad as a tourist. I could see some construction works and a huge new shopping centre on the highway south but I was surprised at the lack of new buildings in the centre. Still, if the peace holds then I expect the city to be very different in 5-10 years time. Thanks again for watching.
@@TravelObscurer I see, thanks!
Very baisc translation
Go to erbil
I did. There is a great film on the channel.
Shia
ok why recently many American men come to iraq!? YOU LATERALLY steps on people *nerve*
I'm not American
@@TravelObscurer Ooo sorry "Western" then
عادي نحن العراقيين نحب الشعب الامريكي ونرحب به جدا ونحب الغرب والعرب ونحب الجميع مادام لم يأتي لمحاربتنا ❤
Step on people nerves? Who and what people? You mean only yourself? Because I've never ever seen an Iraqi who isn't happy about the fact that the country is finally stabilizing so the tourists will come. This is the Cradle of Civilizations, of course thousands of people would like to visit at least once, but there was no much tourists before because the country was in chaos for 3 decades. Please appreciate people for finally changing their views on Iraq, not falling for the western media, and spreading nice image about our land.
@@doctorsurgeon4664 زين انك كملت "اللي ما جو لمحاربتنا" ولا حسبتك واحد عايش برا وجاي تحطها براس العراقيين تعلمو تدافعون عن حقكم شوي بدل الخيانه والتمسكن
You are giving dark picture to the world about Baghdad in this video...👎👎👎
Really? I thought I was giving a positive but accurate impression.
The video is beautifully done and Baghdad is a gorgeous city with ancient places.