Brief Description:
Situated on the Tigris River south of Mosul, Nimrud was one of the great cities of Assyria. Unlike many of the ancient settlements of Mesopotamia, Nimrud was a new foundation by Shalmaneser I of Assyria in the mid 13th century BC. It reached its height during the reign of Assurnasirpal II (884-859 BC) who made it the capital of Assyria; it remained so until 710 BC when the capital was transferred first to Khorsabad and then to Nineveh.

An 8 km-long wall surrounds the city, which includes a citadel in the southwest corner, where a Ziggurat was erected, a temple dedicated to Ninurta (patron deity of the city), a temple dedicated to Nabu (god of writing) and a series of palaces. The largest and most important is the Northwest Palace built by Assurnasirpal II in mud-brick and decorated with gypsum reliefs and wall paintings.

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Committee

NOTE: The following site is not part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.