As of 2024, three of the five properties are placed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger. Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) was added to the list in 2003, the same year it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site, due to concerns that a dam project might partially flood the site; while the project has since been put on hold, the site remains on the list as a result of the lack of protection.[9] Similarly, Samarra Archaeological City was put on the list simultaneously with its World Heritage Site inscription in 2007, as authorities have been unable to adequately manage and conserve the site since the outbreak of the Iraq War.[5] Hatra was inscribed on the list in 2015 due to its reported extensive destruction by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[10]
World Heritage Sites
The table is sortable by column by clicking on the at the top of the appropriate column; alphanumerically for the Site, Area, and Year columns; by state party for the Location column; and by criteria type for the Criteria column. Transborder sites sort at the bottom.
Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation[11]
Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates
Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee[12]
Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO
Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List
Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable
Located on the Tigris and dating from the 3rd millennium BCE, Ashur was the first capital of the Assyrian Empire and the religious centre of the Assyrians. Following its destruction by the Babylonians, the city was briefly revived during the Parthian period.[13]
Situated on the top of a tell in Iraqi Kurdistan and overlooking the city of Erbil, the Erbil Citadel constitutes a typical example of Ottoman-era urban-planning. In addition to its 19th century fortifications, the site also contains remains dating back to the Assyrian period.[14]
The fortified Parthian city of Hatra withstood repeated attacks by the Roman Empire in the 2nd century. Its architecture reflects both Hellenistic and Roman influences.[15]
Located on the Tigris, the Islamic city of Samarra was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate. It contains two of the largest mosques and several of the largest palaces in the Islamic world, in addition to being among the finest example of Abbasid-era town-planning.[16]
Located in southern Iraq, the site contains three cities of Sumerian origin, namely Uruk, Ur and Eridu, in addition to four wetland areas in the Iraqi Marshlands.[7]
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list.[17] As of 2014, Iraq lists eleven properties on its tentative list:[18]
The Fortress of Al-Ukhaidar: Constructed during the 8th century, the uniquely styled fortress was an important stop on regional trade routes.[22]
Wasit: Founded during the late 7th century, Wasit was a regional administrative centre.[23]
The Marshlands of Mesopotamia: Situated around the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, the marshlands covered a vast area in southern Iraq and were home to hundreds of thousands, before they were gradually drained from the 1950s on and shrunk dramatically under Saddam Hussein.[24]
The Site of Thilkifl: The site is traditionally believed to be the burial place of Ezekiel. It contains a shrine to the prophet, an Ottoman-era marketplace, and a number of khans.[25]
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