Erbil Citadel Set for Major Renovation

Sitting atop a hill in the centre of Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital, Erbil’s 8,000-year-old citadel serves as a symbol of the city’s ancient history. Today, the Kurdistan Regional Government, KRG, and UNESCO are planning to preserve the crumbling fortress, which is believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited human settlements in the world.

A master plan envisages a visitor-friendly area complete with hotels, restaurants, museums and galleries. Kurdish officials believe that the preservation will drive archaeological tourism in Erbil, which is keen to attract investors.

To help preserve the site, the KRG gave 840 families living in the citadel land and money to relocate. The families, many of whom were squatters, agreed to move in 2007 but complain that their new neighbourhood lacks jobs, services and medical care.