🏛️ Samarra Archaeological City
Al-Huwaysilat Upper component, Abbasid capital on the Tigris River
📋 Fast Facts
- Capital of the Abbasid Caliphate from 836 to 892 CE
- Spreads 40 kilometers along the Tigris River across 5,000 hectares
- UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed 2007; extended 2023 to include al-Huwaysilat Upper and other satellite components
- Currently listed as World Heritage Site in Danger due to looting, urban encroachment, and conflict damage
Samarra Archaeological City in Iraq represents one of the most significant urban centers of early Islamic civilization. Built by the Abbasid Caliphate as a new imperial capital beginning in 836 CE, it functioned as the seat of military, religious, and administrative power for over half a century before abandonment in the late 9th century. Al-Huwaysilat Upper, designated component ID 276rev-009, is one of several newly recognized satellite locations inscribed under the site's serial extension ...