Babylon بابل
The legendary capital of Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar, south of Baghdad.
Babylon lies on the Euphrates near the modern city of Hillah. It was the capital of King Hammurabi in the 18th century BC and was rebuilt in splendour by Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BC.
The archaeological city was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019. Nearby are the ziggurat of Borsippa and the road south to Kufa and Najaf.
Babylon rose to power under Hammurabi in the 18th century BC, whose law code is one of the oldest known. A thousand years later Nebuchadnezzar II rebuilt the city with glazed-brick gates, palaces and the great ziggurat remembered as the Tower of Babel, and Greek writers told of its Hanging Gardens. Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC.
Today the site lies beside the Euphrates near the city of Hillah. Visitors walk through a replica of the Ishtar Gate, along the Processional Way and between the high brick walls of Nebuchadnezzar’s palaces, where original bricks stamped with the king’s name can still be seen. The basalt Lion of Babylon stands near the palace ruins, and the hilltop palace built in the 1980s gives wide views over the ancient city and the river.
Babylon combines well with the ziggurat of Borsippa to the south-west, and with Kufa and Najaf further south.
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Travel tips
- Start early: the site is open and exposed, and there is little shade at midday.
- Combine Babylon with Kufa and Najaf, as our group tour does on Day 3.
- Wear comfortable shoes: the site is large and the paths are uneven.
Questions & answers
Is the Ishtar Gate in Babylon original?
The gate at the site is a replica. The original glazed bricks are in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, while the site preserves original foundations and walls.
Can I visit Babylon as a day trip from Baghdad?
Yes. It is about two hours each way by road. Contact us to arrange a private day trip.
Is Babylon a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes. Babylon was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019.
Photos
Map of Babylon
Pins show the sites in this guide. Locations are approximate.
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Sites to see in Babylon
Ancient Babylon
The ruins of Hammurabi’s and Nebuchadnezzar’s city on the Euphrates, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ishtar Gate (replica)
A replica of the blue glazed-brick gate of Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon, decorated with bulls and dragons.
Borsippa Ziggurat (Birs Nimrud)
The ruined ziggurat of the god Nabu south-west of Babylon, linked in tradition to the Tower of Babel.