Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 01/14/2026 10:43:31 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Mentioned in the sacred texts of all three Abrahamic faiths, the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon, in modern-day Iraq, is today undergoing a revival.
One project mitigates groundwater damage to the north retaining wall of the Ishtar Gate. The second is a restoration of the Temple of Ninmakh, dedicated to the Sumerian mother goddess.
Largely funded by the US embassy in Baghdad, the restoration of the temple and the north retaining wall are part of the Future of Babylon Project, initiated 15 years ago, which aims to document, waterproof and stabilise structures throughout the 2,500-acre site.
The completion of these two projects coincides with a boom in tourism. Even in the midday heat, when tour guides refuse to emerge from their office, visitors from Romania, Russia and Iran enthusiastically explore attractions including the largely intact Lion of Babylon, the processional way and the museum next to a reconstructed Ishtar Gate.
Around 80km south of Baghdad, comprising both the ruins of the ancient city as well as surrounding villages and agricultural areas, Babylon is a survivor. From its peak as the Neo-Babylonian capital under King Nebuchadnezzar II through to the Iraq War, when American and Polish troops ran roughshod over its ruins and a decade later, Islamic State (Isis) threatened its very existence, the ancient city has witnessed empires come and go…
(Excerpt) Read more at theartnewspaper.com ...
|
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Ping!
I believe after Saddam was overthrown, some people were able to visit the areas featured in the movie “The Exorcist” (scenes with Father Merrin having a premonition of his encounter with the demon).
https://iaassyriology.com/future-of-babylon/
Since 2008, World Monuments Fund (WMF) has been working with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) to conserve the fragile archaeological remains of Babylon. There are many challenges: repairing the damage caused by military occupations, countering the effects of the twentieth-century reconstructions at the site, halting illegal new building encroachments, and helping the Iraqi authorities make the site ready for visitors to once again enjoy the wonders of this site in the cradle of civilization.
The real Ishtar Gate in Berlin is breathtaking. They better leave it right there, and not return it to Iraq, given the Islamic track record on ancient artifacts.
Are we going to get a cut of future tourism proceeds? Signs point to "NO."
Ah! No kidding. And here i was thinking only Georgetown Univ campus was relevant to Exorcist set!
I’m surprised the ISIS cretins didn’t destroy it.
Thanks! I recall reading in my 20s, a writer visiting Iraq talking about the feeling he got while on a modern freeway and seeing the upcoming exits, "Babylon" and "Baghdad".
The Ishtar Gate has been famous for hundreds of years. I’m glad it is being restored, even if it will be far from “original.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
