Mosul



Mosul (Arabic: الموصل‎ al-Mawṣil, Maṣlawī Arabic: al-Mōṣul, Assyrian: ܢܝܢܘܐ Ninaweh, Kurdish: Mosul/Ninawa, Turkish: Musul) is a city in Iraq's Northwestern region, and is the country's second largest city by population. Its religious makeup is one of the most diverse in the country.

Understand
Mosul is Iraqs second largest city and the major economic hub in northern Iraq. Located along the fertile lands of river Tigris the city's history dates back to the at least 6,000 BC. On the eastern banks lies the ancient city of Nineveh, which was the world's largest city around 700 BC. Mosul has since thrived under different rulers, empowered by its strategic position and fertile lands.

In recent history Mosul is mainly known for being the last stand of the Islamic State (ISIS). The fierce battle which took place during 2017 left large parts of the old city in ruins. While much of the city's heritage is destroyed, Maslawis are slowly rebuilding the city.

By bus
From Baghdad: shared taxis are available from Allawi North garage in Baghdad. Cost is 25,000 IQD for a seat (likely 5,000 IQD extra for the front seat); the driver will usually cram in 4 passengers before leaving. The journey takes 4-5 hours.

From Erbil: shared taxis are available at 10,000 IQD per seat. Journey takes 2-3 hours.



By train
As of 2023 there's no rail service to Mosul, rehabilitation is however ongoing and the government has promised to bring back passenger trains from Baghdad.



By air
As of 2023, the airport is closed and not expected to reopen within the next few years. The nearest international airport is in Erbil, 75 km east of Mosul.



Get around
Travelling by car is the safest option for getting around in the city. Several bridges over the river Tigris have now been repaired, making the east-west journey much easier.

There's no public transport system within the city, apart from mini buses and shared taxis. Extensive knowledge of Arabic is needed to use these.

See
Mosul was rich in old historical places and ancient buildings: mosques, castles, churches, monasteries, synagogues, and schools, many of which have architectural features and decorative work of significance. The town centre was dominated by a maze of streets and attractive 19th-century houses. There were old houses here of beauty. Markets were particularly interesting for the mixture of people who jostle there, such as Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians, Turcoman, Armenians, Yazidi, Mandeans, Roma and Shabaks. Mosul also had a sizable Jewish population.

Mosques and shrines
Mosul is a treasure trove for those interested in historic Islamic religious architecture with dozens of mosques dating back hundreds of years. However many are in a state of disrepair or damaged by the war. Also some mosques might be off limit to visit for non-Muslims.





Churches and monasteries


Mosul had the largest proportion of Assyrian Christians of all the Iraqi cities, and contains several interesting old churches, some of which originally date back to the early centuries of Christianity. Its ancient Assyrian churches are often hidden and their entrances in thick walls are not easy to find. Many churches were partly or completely destroyed by ISIS during their rule and as of 2020 many are in ruins. Also, dotted around Mosul are ancient monasteries, some in ruins while others are still active.



Other sites




Nineveh


Just across the river and ever closer to expanding Mosul were the great ruins of Nineveh, an ancient Assyrian city and the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Once the largest city in the world and covering an area of some 750 ha, it was besieged, destroyed and left unpopulated after the 612 BC battle of Nineveh. There have been repeated archaeological projects and some half-finished attempts at reconstructions, but unfortunately the site suffers from rapid decay due to lack of protection from the elements, vandalism and looting. Large parts of the site, including its walls, was sacked by ISIS in 2016.



The ruins of Nineveh were surrounded by the remains of a massive stone and mudbrick wall dating from about 700 BC.



Eat
A number of restaurants, mainly on the eastern side of the city, have reopened.

Drink
Alcohol is not widely available but in the aftermath of the liberation from Daesh a handful of bars have reopened.

Sleep
As of early 2020, major hotels chains have yet to reopen in Mosul, but there is a limited number of smaller hotels. The landmark Nineveh International Hotel was completely ruined in 2017.



Nimrud
Former 3,000-year-old Assyrian Empire city first excavated in the 1840s as an archaeological site on the eastern bank of the Tigris, 30 km (20 miles) south of Mosul. Overrun by ISIL (Daesh) in 2014, historic sites destroyed in 2015. The Iraqi Army reclaimed Nimrud in 2016. The site contained the palace of Ashurnasirpal, the king of Assyria. Many of the artefacts are in the British Museum, London, the Metropolitan Museum in New York City or Iraq’s national museum in Baghdad.