Abbasid Palace

The Abbasid Palace (Arabic: القصر العباسي, romanized: al-Qaṣr al-ʿAbbāsī) is the conventional name of a late Abbasid-era brick complex in Baghdad, Iraq. Its original identity and function remain disputed. It has been identified as either a palace of the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir or a madrasa commonly identified as the Sharabiyya Madrasa. The building stands near the eastern bank of the Tigris in the al-Rusafa district and is generally dated to the late 12th or early 13th century. North of al-Mutanabbi Street and a part of al-Maidan area. The palace dates back to the late 12th or early 13th century. It was most likely built by the Abbasid caliph al-Nasir (although this is disputed).

Fortified walls with elevated walkways and vantage points surround the complex. The Abbasid Palace is one of the few remaining examples of Abbasid-era buildings in Baghdad along with the Mustansiriyya Madrasa and others. After falling into ruin, it was heavily reconstructed during the 20th century.

The Abbasid Palace is considered one of the most important archaeological buildings in Baghdad due to its age and Islamic architecture. The area in which the palace is located in, as well as the palace itself, are a part of a tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Text adapted from “Abbasid Palace” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Abbasid Palace ranks #2,770 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #10 of the 14 mapped in Iraq. Founded c. 1225, it is older than 75% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 825 atlas entries founded in the 13th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 2,312 times in the last 60 days, more than 70% of the atlas. 3 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. See how Iraq compares in the castle statistics.

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