Shafaq News-Al-Muthanna
More than 1,000tourists from countries including the UK, China, Japan, and the United Stateshave visited the ancient city of Uruk in Iraq’s Al-Muthanna province in recentmonths, the director of the Antiquities and Heritage Department told ShafaqNews on Saturday.
Salwan Al-Ahmarattributed the increase in tourism to restoration and development work carriedout by the department in cooperation with the German Archaeological Institutemission working at the site.
The projectincluded the first phase of a dedicated visitor pathway inside thearchaeological city, alongside the installation of informational signs inArabic, English, and German containing historical explanations and imagesrelated to the city and its temples. The signs were prepared in Berlin beforebeing shipped to Iraq. Al-Ahmar also pointed to the construction of a rest areafor visitors, noting that the next season will include a second phase focusedon expanding visitor facilities and completing the tourist pathway across theancient complex.
The ancient city ofUruk, historically known as one of the world’s earliest urban centers, iswidely regarded as the cradle of human civilization. It is associated with theinvention of the first writing system, the construction of the first ziggurat,and the Epic of Gilgamesh.
UNESCO added Urukto its World Heritage List in 2016 as part of the Ahwar of Southern Iraq andassociated archaeological cities.
The increase invisitors comes as Iraq records a broader rise in Arab and foreign tourism. Thesector’s revenues increased by 25% in 2024 to $5.7 billion, while Baghdad’sdesignation as the Arab Capital of Tourism for 2025 further boosted the sector,as Iraqi authorities seek to attract up to 10 million visitors annually overthe next decade through infrastructure upgrades and heritage restorationprojects.
: Baghdad crowned Arab Capital of Tourism 2025: A turning point for Iraq's future.