Iraq in the past: 35 old photos

Tom Spirit
December 10, 2023
Leave a comment

Updated on December 10, 2023
Tom Spirit

Leave a comment

Archives photos of Iraq

I don’t know about you, but I love immersing myself in the ancient times of the countries I visit and travelling through their history to feel the soul that animated the Old World and understand their past so as to better grasp their present.

In this article, I share with you my selection of old photographs of Iraq, from various sources, from the cities of Baghdad – Samarra – Sinjar – Erbil – Karbala – Najaf – Mosul – Khorsabad – Lalish – Akre – Rawanduz and other places in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Old and rares Archives Photos of Iraq — 35 Old photographs that shows you how Iraq looked like in the past time

Insure your trip to Iraq
Start here

Archives photographs of Iraq:

Baghdad
Taq Kasra
Ur
Karbala
Babylon
Dur-Kurigalzu
Najaf
Khorsabad
Erbil
Al-Kifl
Mosul
Sinjar
Samarra
Iraqi Kurdistan

Baghdad

1. Baghdad | 1938

2. Baghdad | 1900s

Ancient photo of Baghdad 1900 — Ancient photograph of Baghdad | 1900s

3. Baghdad | 1940s

Old photo of Baghdad — Children bathing with water buffalo in Baghdad | 1940s

4. Baghdad | 1920s

Iraqi Jews in Al Rasheed Street, Baghdad — Jewish Iraqis exchanging money on the famous Al-Rasheed street | 1920s

5. Baghdad | 1932

Old pic of Baghdad, Al Khadimiya Mosque — Al-Khadimiya Mosque | 1932

6. Baghdad | 1910s

Al-Khadimiya Mosque in 1910 — Al-Khadimiya Mosque | 1910s

7. Baghdad | 1910s

Iraqi Jew Family in Baghdad — A Jewish family in Baghdad in the 1910s

8. Baghdad | 1940s

1940s photo of Baghdad — Young men in Baghdad in the 1940s

Taq Kasra

1. Ctesiphon Arch, Taq Kasra | 1950s

Ur

1. Ziggurat of Ur | 1920

Old photo of Ur during excavations in 1920 — Ur Ziggurat excavations | 1920

Karbala

1. Karbala | 1930s

2. Karbala | 1934

Karbala in the past time — The entrance to the shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala | 1934

3. Karbala | 1932

Old photo of Karbala Street — A street in Karbala | 1932

4. Karbala | Unknown date

Karbala Old city — Ancient photo of Karbala | ?

Babylon

1. Babylon | 1932

Dur-Kurigalzu

1. Aqar Quf, Dur-Kurigalzu | 1915

Ancient photo Ziggurat of Iraq — Dur-Kurigalzu Ziggurat | 1915

Najaf

1. Najaf | 1910s

Khorsabad

1. Khorsabad | 1853

2. Khorsabad | 1933

Archive photo of archeological site in Iraq — Rediscovery and excavation of the citadel of Sargon II | 1933

3. Khorsabad | 1933

Archives photos of Iraq — Excavation of the citadel of Sargon II | 1933

4. Khorsabad

Iraq in the ancient time — Excavation of the citadel of Sargon II

Erbil

1. Erbil | 1940s

2. Erbil | 1938

An old photo of Erbil in 1938 — A photograph of Erbil and the entrance to the citadel | 1938

3. Erbil | 1950

Old aerial photo of Erbil — Aerial photo of Erbil | 1950

Al-Kifl

1. Ezekiel’s Tomb | 1932

Mosul

1. Mosul | 1890s

2. Mosul | 1932

Ancient and rare photo of Mosul — The emblematic leaning Al-Hadaba minaret of the Al-Nuri mosque in Mosul | 1932

Sinjar

1. Sinjar | 1950s

2. Sinjar | 1950s

Old Yazidi portrait in Iraq — A young Yezidi woman in Sinjar | 1950s

Samarra

1. Samarra | Unknown date

2. Samarra | Unknown date

Old photo of Samarra — The Great Mosque of Samarra

Iraqi Kurdistan

1. Koi | 1920

2. Akre | 1900s

Akre in the ancient times — An old photograph of the village of Akre | 1900s

3. Rawanduz | 1918

Old and rare photo of Iraqi Kurdistan — An old photo of Rawanduz, almost indiscernible | 1918

4. Sulaymaniya | 1950

Kurdish womans in traditionnal clothes — Kurdish women in traditional dress in Sulaymaniya | 1950

5. Lalish | 1951

old archival photograph of Yazidis in Lalish in Iraq — Worshippers in Lalish, the holy city of Yezidism | 1951

Share this article

About the author

Tom Spirit

Hey, it's Tom! Welcolme to Spirit Travelers. I'm a nomad traveler for several years and I share my experiences by publishing content and travel guides on this blog. Find some of the most popular countries to visit but also off the beaten track destinations.

Content you might like

Things to do and places to visit in Erbil

What to do and what to visit in Erbil?

Visit Erbil the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan: discover the best things to do.

Visit Lalish in Iraqi Kurdistan

Lalesh, or Lalish, is the holiest place of the Yazid religion. For believers, this is where the world would have formed, but sources indicate that Lalish has existed for nearly 6,000 years.

How to visit Mosul: Travel guide

A complete travel guide to Mosul: how to get there, safety, where to stay, what to see (Hatra, Bakhdida, Mar Mattai, Museum, Old City…) and how to travel to other destinations in Iraq and Kurdistan

Visit Akre in Iraqi Kurdistan

What to do and what to see in Akre, an old city of the Iraqi Kurdistan.

How to visit Samarra: Travel guide

A travel guide to visit the city of Samarra and the Malwiya minaret: how to get there, safety, checkpoints, places to see, where to stay…

10-day itinerary in Iraq (Federal + Kurdistan)

Visit Iraq in a 10-day travel itinerary and the must-see places: Baghdad, Kurdistan, Samarra, Mosul, Najaf, the Ziggurat of Ur, the Mesopotamian marshes…

How to visit Babylon: Travel guide

A guide to the archaeological site of Babylon, near Hillah in southern Iraq. Discover this mythical place that was once home to the Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel.

Visit Iraqi Kurdistan: Travel guide

Everything you need to know to visit Iraqi Kurdistan in this travel guide. Whether you are a solo backpacker or accompanied by a guide, find the essential points to know before traveling to Iraq.

Iraq Travel Guide

How to travel to Federal Iraq: a complete guide to visiting the country on your own. Everything you need to know before leaving, including security, formalities, visas, budget, places to visit, transport…