Great Ziggurat of Ur

Spectacular Ancient City

One of the world’s best reconstructed ancient ziggurat served as the religious and administrative centre of Ur, with a shrine to moon god Nanna, Ur’s patron deity.

The Great Ziggurat of Ur, is a well-preserved Neo-Sumerian ziggurat, and most spectacular remains of the ancient city of Ur. The Great Ziggurat, situated in the temple complex was the administrative heart of Ur. Today, it is located in Dhi Qar Province, in the south of Iraq.

The construction of the Great Ziggurat of Ur, began under the Sumerian King Ur-Nammu, the Third Dynasty of Ur (about the 21 st century B.C.). It was completed by his son, King Shulg who, in order to win the allegiance of cities, proclaimed himself a god. During his 48-year reign, the city of Ur grew to be the capital, controlling much of Mesopotamia.

Like most ziggurats, the massive step pyramid, took the form of a terraced, mud-brick tower with successively receding levels. Its central feature was a series of monumental 100-step staircases, which converged on an upper platform where it housed a shrine to the patron deity, the moon god, Nanna. Today, only the bottom stages of the structure remain, but in its heyday, the Great Ziggurat stood some 100 feet (30 m) high and measured about 210 feet (64 m) in length and 150 feet (46 m) in width.

The site has undergone two major overhauls in its 4,000-year history. The first came in the 6th century B.C., when the Babylonian King Nabonidus repaired its decaying foundation and replaced its upper terraces. In the 1980’s, the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, restored its outer facade and completely rebuilt its three main staircases.

DetailsRecommended Visit:
Restrictions:
Attraction Type: , , , ,

Dhi Qar Province




WatchRelated Shows
PopularShows To Watch

Popular

Staff Picks

Biography

Lists

Featured

Bucket List

MoreRelated Shows
Hanoi Train Street Dangerous Thoroughfare
A narrow residential street in Vietnam has a speeding train which passes through a cramped thoroughfare just inches away from where visitors and residents are....
Meteora Mystical Monasteries
The clifftop byzantine monasteries in Greece are a amazing sights, spectacularly built on top of massive, sandstone rock pillars among nature’s amazing grandeur....
Easter Island Statues Enigmatic stone sculptures
A tiny, isolated Pacific island is most famous for hundreds of massive, mysterious, monolithic stone statues on the island, which has fascinated explorers for decades....
Taj Mahal A Symbol of Eternal Love
The exquisite, ivory-white marble structure, in India is considered the epitome of Mughai art and architecture, an admired masterpiece of the world’s heritage....
ExploreLots Of Shows

Hospitality

Accommodation

Destinations

Attractions

Services

Events

ShowsYou Might Like
Rust en Vrede Elegant Fine Dining
Surrounded by exquisite landscape, on a historic and award winning wine estate, this contemporary fine dining restaurant offers exceptional dining experience....
Jung Sik Dang Evocative and Authentic
The iconic Korean restaurant blends traditional Korean ingredients, with Western culinary techniques and presentation to create a ‘New Korean Dining Cuisine.’...
Sapa Rice Fields Magnificent Terraces
One of the most beautiful and impressive images in Vietnam are the picturesque terraced rice fields of Sapa, carpeting the rolling slopes mountainous landscape....
Moeraki Boulders A geological marvel
A remarkable sight in a New Zealand's beach are enormous, mysterious geological formations of spherical shapes, which are creations of entirely natural forces....
ShowstaEnjoy The Show

Ideas

Traditions

Join

Latest

FAQ

Help

Home

Solutions

Continents

Calendar

Find

Samples