Hiller, Iraq
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The sun droops heavily in central Iraq late in the afternoon, depicting Babylonian ruins in the heat and light. The dust rises from the soft cloudy ground, carrying a faint scent that appears to be older than time itself. At this moment the city felt both sky and eternity, and its silence was broken only by the shuffle of a few travelers who had come to stand in the king’s footsteps.
Once upon a time, Babylon was the old, middle, new Babylonian era, the city that gave its name to the whole era. Ruled by Nebuchadnezzar II, where a huge temple and palace were built, and poets and chroniclers imagined one of the hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Today, still in danger, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but Babylon falls into a delicate balance of grandeur and corruption.
Walking through Babylon is walking through layers of mythology and memory. The first sight to greet many visitors is the reconstructed gate of Ishtar, a deep blue surface once decorated with lions and dragons in golden reliefs. Beyond that, broaden the way of the lining. The ritual path, once used for royal festivals like tomorrow, is said to be one of the oldest celebrations in the world.
Here, Nebuchadnezzar II, who reigned from 605 to 562 BC, imposed his mark on history. He built palaces and temples of incredible size, expanded the city’s defenses, and left an inscription declaring his power. The massive Ethemenanchi Zigrat – Those who were believed to have influenced the Bible Tower of Babel once ruled the skyline.
And then there is a hanging garden. Ancient Greek and Roman writers described them as lush, green paradise, watered with an ingenious pump that lifted water from the Euphrates. According to legend, Nebuchadnezzar commissioned them for his Queen Amitis, who longed for the forested mountains of his hometown.
For Iraqi archaeologist Amer Abdulrazzaq, the gardens are more than a myth. “We’ve confirmed that Babylonian hanging gardens exist,” he tells CNN. They add “the reality reflecting the beauty, grandeur and creativity of Mesopotamian engineer and artist, Babylonian engineer, the king and rule of Babylonians.”
Abdullazzak considers the garden to be a two-hour drive south of Baghdad, located in a vast archaeological site on the coast of the Euphrates River today.
Others refer to Nineveh hundreds of miles north as a possible location, but discussion is hardly an issue for travelers arriving in Babylon. Standing inside the ruins, it’s easy to imagine a waterfall hanging down from a wooden pillar. The ham of city life in high glory.
Despite years of conflict and uncertainty in Iraq, Babylon is steadily increasing the number of international travelers, but far from the crowds that came decades ago. According to the Babylonian Antiques and Heritage Bureau, in 2024 there were 49,629 visitors, of which 5,370 were foreigners.
On a recent summer afternoon, three visitors were found wandering the path. Among them was Gianmalia Vergani, 35, from Milan. My fascination with its hanging garden dates back to my childhood. “I was waiting to stand here,” he told CNN.
Vergani had ripened months of preparation, maps and history before flying to Baghdad. On his journey, he stopped at Tak Kasra – 2 – the great arch of the Millenians’ great Ctesiphon – the southwest of the capital of Iraq headed for Babylon before turning south, intent on seeing the abandoned ins himself.
“When I saw the gates of Ishtar at the start of the tour, I was overwhelmed,” his voice trembling. “It’s incredible to think that people walked these same paths thousands of years ago. When I reached the site, it felt like my dreams had finally come true.”
His respect is reflected by many who travel. Babylon is not a casual tourist destination. It is a pilgrimage destination and a chance to step into the stories that shaped civilization.
But Babylon is also a site that suffers. The approach to ancient cities implies contrast. The main road circling the ruins is in acceptable condition, but the street leading to it is broken and ru. Within the site, the routes are overgrown with weeds, plants pushing in through cracks, and littering between the stones. The butts of cigarettes and plastic bottles were scattered throughout the courtyard, and the king once received foreign envoys.
There is a shortage of facilities. Toilets are present, but only after the ticket booth near Ishtar Gate. There are no hotels nearby. Travelers are forced to return to faraway accommodation after their visit. The signs are minimal. Without a guide, visitors can easily lose their way between walls and rooms.
Local guides will try their best to protect guests from disappointment, pilot clean routes and fram the abandoned in the best light. But for independent travelers, negligence is clear. It appears that cities need emergency cleaning and care.
Lead Hamed Abdullah, Director of the Ancient and Heritage of Babylonian Ministry of Culture, has acknowledged the challenge. “There are four cleaners across the entire archaeological site,” he explained. “We even ask security guards to help clean them. These are individual efforts we make out of love for the city. We hope that the Iraqi government will allocate enough funds to care for Babylon.”
So far, meaningful support for the daily maintenance costs of the site has been limited. Local authorities provide fragmentary maintenance, from visitor facilities to proper conservation, but broader development remains entangled with legal and political obstacles.
Babylon’s scars aren’t just about age. The ruins have been repeatedly reshaped by modern rulers and military forces.
In the 1980s, Saddam Hussein embarked on an ambitious reconstruction of Babylon, clearly viewing himself as the heir to Nebuchadnezzar. A new brick with his name engraved on the entire wall has been rebuilt. A huge palace rises nearby, and its terrace overlooks the ruins with indications of power rather than preservation.
Although the Arabic calligraphy etched on the walls appears sacred at first glance, a meticulous examination reveals Saddam’s own stylized initials, rather than biblical poems. The project was propaganda and embedded his presence in the ancient stories of the city.
After the US-led invasion in 2003, the US military established a base in Babylon and converted Saddam’s palace into headquarters. The helicopter landed directly at an archaeological site. The tank crushed the fragile ground. The soldiers scrawled graffiti across the interior of the palace. Once a symbol of power and glory, Babylon became a secondary damage in the modern struggle for domination.
Doodles and theft
For today’s visitors, the impact is impressive. “It was heartbreaking to ignore and look at the palace covered in graffiti,” Vergani said. “The lack of security was ridiculous. Artifacts can easily be stolen.”
When UNESCO added Babylon to its World Heritage List in July 2019, it was hailed as a victory for Iraq, the pinnacle of decades of lobbying. However, recognition alone does not guarantee conservation. Funding remains limited, development plans are stuck, and the site relies heavily on the dedication of local parents.
“Babylon is one of the most important tourist destinations in Iraq and in the world,” emphasized Abdullazzak. “Special financial funds are needed from the Prime Minister’s Office to be the focus of all tourists.”
Until that happens, Babylonian survival depends on fragile efforts. Four cleaners with brooms, stories of weaving, archaeologists plead for resources. The city and myth of the King awaits once more the attention it deserves.
More recently, the International Nonprofit World Monuments Fund has carried out conservation work in parts of Babylon, with the support of the US Embassy, including a project to research and restore the Ninmakh Temple, a site dedicated to the gods of women.
However, due to the many challenges the site faces, it is often an individual, rather than an institution that continues to live out Babylonian stories. Among them is Hussein Hashem, a 22-year-old tour guide who was born and raised in Babylon.
His passion for history began in middle school and grew up during his trips to the site during classes. Later, after graduating from Babylon University with a degree in biomedical engineering, he turned to tourism, where his knowledge and language skills paved a new path.
“Through my work, I will try to send a positive message,” explained Hashem. “As depicted on television and social media, Iraq is safe and beautiful. I wish everyone could visit my country and see its history, people and culture for themselves.”
Visitors frequently ask him about the garden that hangs. Hashem recounts how German archaeologists once believed they had found them in the site’s complex. The Iraq team later established that the space would be used for food storage. Some scholars instead point to the site near Euphrates, between the ruins of Babylonian and the Palace of Saddam.
Despite his pride, Hashem is worried about the lack of investment. The site needs more government support and public awareness, he said. He also urges visitors to respect the ruins and resist leaving trash and carving their names into ancient stones.
Wandering through Babylon is to experience contradictions. The southern palace reveals a wall with Nebuchadnezzar’s inscription alongside Saddam Hussein. The famous Babylonian lion is still crouching down in quiet rebellion, but the weeds climb the pedestal. The original Ishtar Gate, dismantled in the early 20th century, is thousands of miles away from the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, where visitors will marvel at the partial reconstruction.
All you need to do is sharpen the contrast around it. Beyond archaeological boundaries, there are orchards, picnic gardens and residential homes. The police station is being monitored nearby.
Despite everything, Babylon continues to cast the spell. Visitors are still in awe of wee in front of the gates of Ishtar. They are still discussing hanging gardens, but are amazed at the possibility that such a paradise once rose from the desert plains. As scholars continue their studies, travelers take home the stories of surprised family and friends to learn they are walking through the city of Nebuchadnezzar’s capital.
For Vergani, an Italian tourist, Tour Babylon was the pinnacle of a fulfilling holiday in Iraq.
