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Samarra
ℹ️Practical info — Samarra
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Visit the Malwiya Minaret early in the morning to avoid the extreme midday heat.
- Always carry your passport and expect security checkpoints, especially near the Al-Askari Shrine.
- Dress very modestly and respectfully, as Samarra is a deeply religious city.
- For the best photos of the spiral minaret, step a bit further back to capture the entire structure against the sky.
🍽 Food
The traditional open-fire roasted fish. Look for restaurants situated directly on the banks of the Tigris.
Iraqi date cookies that you can find in the traditional bakeries around the main streets.
Try the juicy mutton kebabs at the small, local eateries in the city center.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
In the small shops around the Al-Askari Shrine, you will find beautiful traditional religious items.
Buy fresh dates at the local markets; they are of excellent quality and very sweet.
A walk along the river at sunset provides a peaceful and photogenic escape from the city.
Located just outside the city, this historic site has great tranquility and impressive architecture without the crowds.
Water temperature…
Samarra is located on the Tigris River in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, approximately 125 kilometers north of Baghdad. The city is globally renowned for its extraordinary architectural heritage and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007. During the 9th century, Samarra served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (836-892) after Baghdad became insufficient to house the imperial guard. Its most iconic landmark is the Great Mosque of Samarra, featuring the distinctive spiral minaret known as the Malwiya, which stands 52 meters tall. Another site of immense religious significance is the Al-Askari Shrine, one of the holiest places in Shia Islam, containing the tombs of the tenth and eleventh Imams. The ancient ruins of Samarra stretch for 41 kilometers along the riverbank, comprising the remains of the largest ancient city in the world by surface area. Today, Samarra remains a major pilgrimage destination.
- Location: Iraq
- Top sights: Malwiya · samarra park · samarra park 2
- Nearby: Fallujah (69 km)
- Population: ~158.508 (2023)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Mar, Apr, Oct.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 9 | 11 | 16 | 22 | 29 | 34 | 36 | 36 | 32 | 26 | 16 | 10 |
| Rain mm | 26 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 21 | 22 |
Geography
Facts
- Former capital of the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century.
- Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.
- Home to the famous 52-meter high spiral Malwiya Minaret.
- Contains the holy Al-Askari Shia pilgrimage shrine.
- Remains of the largest ancient city in the world by area.
- Located on the Tigris, 125 kilometers north of Baghdad.
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Sights in the town Samarra (4)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Malwiya Minaret?
Was Samarra a capital city?
Is Samarra a UNESCO site?
What religious site is important there?
Can you climb the minaret?
Samarra: where is it located?
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Samarra: why is it worth visiting?
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