The Citadel Town of Erbil, or Qala't Erbil, is an impressive elevated settlement that has been inhabited continuously for millennia.
Erbil Citadel Town, which is situated dramatically on top of an artificial, 32-meters high earthen mound, and visually dominating the expansive modern city of Erbil, is believed to have been in continuous existence for 7000 years or even more. Thus, it may be regarded as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the world. Because of its past fortifications and steeply inclined mound, which
is at some locations nearly 45 degrees, it has managed to survive numerous sieges and fierce attacks. The existing fabric, however, goes back to several hundred years but is, nevertheless, of extreme vernacular architectural and urban interest, not only for Iraq but also for humanity at large. Basically, the Citadel is an elliptical shaped town covering slightly more than 10 hectares of dense fabric composed mainly of traditional courtyard houses and built in ochre-colored bricks. In addition, there are several important public buildings such as 3 mosques, a public bath (Hammam), 7 historic graves, two gates, and several open urban spaces. The residential quarters are reached by a labyrinthine network of narrow pedestrian alleyways which spread out in a tree-like pattern from the main Southern Gate. Today, there are about 330 houses from a total of about 500 that possess important cultural and architectural interest. Some houses, public buildings, and urban spaces, have authentic cultural values and show remarkable ingenuity and resourcefulness in local architectural traditions. To walk through its meandering pedestrian alleyways and experience the exhilarating visual and spatial qualities of its traditional architecture, the Citadel is truly a remarkable human achievement. It deserves the full support of all humanity to preserve its unique character for the enjoyment of all, and to ensure its survival for future generations.
