Nineveh

About this place

Nineveh is the remains of the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, on the east bank of the Tigris in Mosul. It was the largest city in the world for about fifty years and perhaps the wealthiest. Today the districts of the modern city surround it, and you see walls and huge gates, some of them rebuilt, around broad mounds that still hide a great deal. It reached its height in the 7th century BC, before falling in 612 BC to a coalition of peoples including Babylonians and Medes. It never again served as a political centre, and declined in the Middle Ages in favour of Mosul. Inside the walls are two main mounds, Kuyunjik and Tell Nabi Yunus, the latter topped by a shrine linked to the Prophet Jonah. You see the Mashki Gate, with its tall brick blocks and crenellated walls, and the rebuilt Nergal Gate with a winged bull painted on its face. Kuyunjik appears as a broad grassy mound, where the palaces of Assyrian kings were uncovered. Most of what was found here is now kept in major museums elsewhere. The site is about 3 km in a straight line from Al-Nuri Mosque, across the Tigris. We found no confirmed hours or fees, and the gates can be seen from the surrounding roads. A local guide is the best way to visit. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to this area, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.