Middle East - Anthony Ham [194]
ERBIL CIVILIZATION MUSEUM
This small museum (Ministry of Antiques, Salahaddin St; admission free; 9am-1.30pm, closed Fri) inside the Ministry of Antiques houses a collection of Iraqi archaeological finds, some dating back to 6000 BC. But compared to its sister museum in Sulaymaniyah, this place is rather ordinary. Many items on display are copies of artefacts located in the still-closed National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad.
MOSQUES & CHURCHES
Erbil has more mosques than any city in Iraqi Kurdistan. Just southwest of the citadel, the 36m-tall Sheik Chooli Minaret (Kurdish: Minare) is all that remains of a grand mosque that once stood here. The broken, leaning minaret was built between 1190 and 1232 during the reign of Sultan Mudhafaraddin Kokburi.
The minaret stands on a 14.5m octagonal base and is made of baked bricks and gypsum with highly detailed tiled ornamentation. The minaret is located in the new Minare Park. Driving into the city from Shaqlawa, you can’t miss Erbil’s largest and grandest mosque, the Jalil Khayat Mosque. Opened in 2007, it’s inspired by İstanbul’s famed Blue Mosque. The main dome is 45m high, flanked by two 65m tall minarets.
The Christian neighbourhood of Ainkawa has several churches. The largest is St Joseph’s Church, a Chaldean Christian church built in 1978.
Sleeping
There are many budget hotels in and around the bazaar. Most have squat toilets unless otherwise noted.
Kandil Hotel (066 222 9230, 0750 453 2233; cnr Qalat St & Salahaddin St; s/d ID10,000/ID20,000) This clean and friendly cheapie offers the best deal for the dinar. It’s located directly across from the main gate of the citadel. Most rooms have shared bathrooms.
Bekhal Hotel (222 509, 407 2810; Bazaar; r per person ID25,000; ) Located in the bazaar about a block southwest of the citadel, this orange hotel is hard to miss. It’s impeccably clean with Western toilets, fridge, TV and private bathroom. The owner speaks basic English.
Erbil International Hotel ( 223 4460; 30 Meter St & Salahaddin St; www.erbilinthotel.com; s/d ID240,000/ 300,000; ) Better known by locals as ‘The Sheraton,’ the Erbil is a luxury hotel favoured by Western visitors. Amenities include two swimming pools, tennis courts, a Turkish bath, six bars and restaurants and 24-hour room service. Surrounded by high, bomb-blast walls and tight security, it has all the warmth of a military bunker.
Eating & Drinking
Many budget kebab shops and food vendors can be found in the bazaar.
Deutscher Hof ( 0750 488 3981, 253 6274; Ainkawa; deutscher-hof-international@web.de; mains ID10,000-20,000; noon-midnight) The only German restaurant and beer garden in Kurdistan, this spot was founded in 2006 by former German soldier Gunter Voelker. The menu features typical German dishes such as bratwurst, schnitzel, steak and plenty of mugs of cold German beer. Prost!
Park Restaurant ( 0750 401 0339, 251 9812; Erbil Park; restaurantpark@yahoo.com; mains ID5000-12,000; noon-midnight) Perhaps the most scenic restaurant in Erbil, the Park Restaurant overlooks the lake at Martyr Sami Abdul-Rahman Park. The menu has a range of Middle Eastern and Western dishes including lamb quzi, kebabs, fried chicken and, yes, beer and wine.
Pushi ( 454 0431, 253 6717; Ainkawa Rd; mains ID8000-12,000; noon-midnight) Pushi Restaurant is an Erbil institution, serving up Turkish and Kurdish specialties such as İskender kebaps and fish dishes.
2B2 Fast Food & Coffee ( 255 5050; Salahaddin St under Swan Hotel; www.2b2.cc; mains ID3000-11,000; 11am-midnight) Tired of eating kebabs? This American-style fast-food joint serves greasy hot dogs, burgers and pizza. But the real draw is the top floor café, featuring real coffee drinks, milkshakes, fresh-squeezed juices and ice cream sundaes.
Getting There & Away
International flights arrive at Erbil International Airport, (www.erbilairport.net), 6km northwest of the city centre.
If you’re coming overland from Shaqlawa and all points north, no problem. But travelling to/from Dohuk is another matter; the main highway between