al-Başrah (Basra, الْبَصْرَة)

Basra is Iraq's third largest city and main seaport, although for large vessels that require deep-water access, the port of Umm Qasr is used. The city was founded in 636 AD to serve as a military base for the army of Caliph Omar. It was later occupied by the Safavid. In the 16th century it became an important departure point for Arab trading ships sailing to the Far East. During WWI, Basra was captured by the British and they stayed in control until 1932, when Iraq gained independence.

Basra is strategically located and controls the area north of the Persian Gulf, as well as traffic on the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Because of that it has seen many battles. Especially when the area was part of the Ottoman Empire there was a lot of fighting between the Turks and invading Persians or Marsh Arabs.

Caliph Ali Pasha, successfully countered a Persian attack in 1624, after which a period of stability ensued. Basra became an important cultural and educational center, but when fighting against the Marsh Arabs resumed under the rule of Ali Pasha's son, Basra's revival was dashed.

Nowadays the city can be divided into three main areas:

Ashar is the old commercial center where the Corniche and the bazaars are situated
Margil is mainly occupied by modern residential areas, but it is also the location of the city's massive port
Basra proper is the old residential area, where most of the city's beautiful, old-style houses are located

There are several interesting sites in Basra. The old mosque of Basra was the first mosque ever to be built outside of the Arabian peninsula. Sayyed Ali al-Musawi Mosque is sometimes referred to as the 'Mosque of the Children of Amer'. It is on Al-Gazear Street in the center of town.

There are four presidential palaces in Basra. There is a Latin church on 14 July Street and one of the main bazaars in Basra is the Amogaiz (Indian market). It got its name from the many Indian vendors that worked there at the beginning of the 20th century. The bazaar is in the Ashar district.

Ashar is full of old houses with balconies leaning over into the narrow streets, as well as numerous beautiful wooden façades in the style of old Arab architecture. It contains a gold bazaar, where fine pieces of gold jewelry are sold. Sayab's House is in ruins, but it was one of the homes where the famous poet Badr Shakir al-Sayyab used to live. A statue of al-Sayyab on the al-Başrah Corniche.

al-Başrah Corniche is a street that runs along the banks of the Shatt al-Arab, from the Lion of Babylon square up to the Four Palaces. One of Basra's older parks, Akhora Park, is also located along al-Başrah Corniche. Further along the Shatt al-Arab, especially in the nearby village of Abu Al-Khasib, the waterway is lined with palm tree forests.

Sinbad island sits in the middle of Shatt Al-Arab, the river that connects Basra with the Persian Gulf. It is not far from the Miinaalmakl and rises behind the Khaled bridge. Another large bridge is the Muhhmad Baquir Al-Sadr Bridge, which connects the two banks at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It was built in 2017.

There are several museums in Basra, of which the Floating Navy Museum, with its war relics; the Basra Museum, where Sumerian, Babylonian and Islamic objects are on display and the Museum for Martyrs of the Persian Aggression that displays the sufferings of the ordinary people of Basra during the Iran-Iraq War, are the most interesting.

You will find many hotels and restaurants in the city, including Basra International Hotel, which is known for its Shanasheel style exterior design. Basra Land is one of the oldest fun parks in southern Iraq. Basra is in the south of Iraq, some 450 km southeast of Baghdad and about 100 km north of the Persian Gulf.

Hotels in al-Başrah

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