Baghdad

• Al-Faw Palace . Because of its location by the Tigris River, it is also known as the Water Palace. US forces use it as a military facility.
• Baghdad Zoo. The country’s biggest zoo, which opened in 1971. It was devastated during the 2003 war, but it rebounded rapidly. However, there aren’t many bigger animals to witness.
• Swords of Qādisīyah  (Inside the Green Zone). A massive pair of triumphal arches commemorating the purported defeat of Iran. Also known as the Victory Hands. It serves as a gateway to a former parade field.
• Monument to the Unknown Soldier . Inspired by the adoration of an Iranian–Iraq War martyr. The monument depicts an Iraqi warrior’s death clutch on a traditional shield (dira1a). The monument formerly housed a museum, but it is now completely deserted. Request permission from the Iraqi troops that defend the monument.
• Al-Shaheed Monument  (East side of the Tigris river, near the Army Canal). Another memorial to Iraqi troops who died in the Iran-Iraq conflict. The monument is a 190-metre-diameter circular platform in the center of an artificial lake. On two floors under the domes, there is a museum, library, café, lecture hall, and exhibition gallery.
• National Museum of Iraq . Before the Iraq War, this museum had a massive collection covering the history of Mesopotamian civilization. Today, many of the artifacts have been robbed, and the museum is only accessible on rare occasions.
• Umm al-Qura Mosque . The minarets of this mosque are styled like gun barrels and SCUD missiles, and it was erected to celebrate the “winning” in the 1991 Gulf War.
• Al-Kadhimiya Mosque (Northwest of Baghdad). One of Iraq’s most prominent Shi’ite holy sites. It was completed in 1515, and it is where the 7th Musa ibn Jafar al-Kathim and the 9th Imams Mohammed Al-Jawad were buried.

Baghdad has a subtropical desert climate and is one of the world’s hottest cities.

During the summer months of June to August, the average maximum temperature may reach 44 °C (111 °F), accompanied by bright sunlight. Even at night in the summer, temperatures seldom fall below 24 °C (75 °F). The hottest temperature ever recorded in Baghdad was 124 degrees Fahrenheit (51 degrees Celsius) in July 2015.

Due to Baghdad’s location from the marshy Persian Gulf, humidity is often relatively low (around 10%), and dust storms from the deserts to the west are common throughout the summer.

Winters are distinguished by pleasant days and cold nights. Maximum temperatures in Baghdad range from 15.5 to 18.5 °C (59.9 to 65.3 °F) from December to February, while highs above 70 °F (21 °C) are not uncommon. Morning temperatures may be chilly: the average January low temperature is 3.8 °C (38.8 °F), however lows below freezing occur just a few times each year.

The city is situated on a large plain divided by the Tigris River. The Tigris divides Baghdad, with the eastern half known as ‘Risafa’ and the western half known as ‘Karkh.’ The terrain on which the city is constructed is nearly completely flat and low-lying, being of alluvial origin owing to the river’s recurrent big floods.

The city is situated on a large plain divided by the Tigris River. The Tigris divides Baghdad, with the eastern half known as ‘Risafa’ and the western half known as ‘Karkh.’ The terrain on which the city is constructed is nearly completely flat and low-lying, being of alluvial origin owing to the river’s recurrent big floods.

Iraq’s Tourism Board is also looking for investors to help build a “romantic” island on Baghdad’s River Tigris, which was formerly a favorite honeymoon destination for married Iraqis. A six-star hotel, a spa, an 18-hole golf course, and a country club are all planned as part of the project. Furthermore, permission has been granted to construct a series of aesthetically distinctive buildings along the Tigris, which will serve as the city’s financial center in Kadhehemiah.