Historic Babylon’s Resurgence: Two Restoration Projects Nearing Completion

The revered Babylon, cited in the holy scripts of the world’s three main Abrahamic religions and situated in what is now Iraq, is experiencing a resurgence. Two projects have initiated by the World Monuments Fund are in their final phases of completion, signifying a timely renaissance of cultural tourism in the region. The first of the major undertakings is targeting damage caused by groundwater to the northern wall of the Ishtar Gate, while the second effort is focused on restoring the religiously significant Temple of Ninmakh, conceived in veneration of the Sumerian mother deity.

The restorative team is anticipating a formal inauguration for the renovated temple by the following fall, with the objective of transforming it into a venue for social events such as weddings and concerts. The temple will also become a space for hosting the Babylon Festival, an annual occasion celebrating global cultures typically observed each spring. Largely financed by the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the restoration of these two historical monuments is a subset of the larger, 15-year-old Future of Babylon Project, which has the broader aim of documenting, securing, and waterproofing the structures scattered across the massive 2,500-acre area.

These recent renovations coincide with an unprecedented surge in local and international tourism, marking a fresh chapter for the revitalized Babylon. ‘Our visitor count this year has exceeded all previous years,’ confirms Raad Hamid Abdullah, the designated inspector for heritage and archaeology in Babylon. In the past year alone, the city played host to an impressive 43,530 Iraqi visitors, in addition to 5,370 foreign tourists. This figures are a significant upscale from the previous year, where there were 36,957 from within the country and 4,109 from abroad. Locals from Babil, the neighboring city, have also started flocking to Babylon.

‘Babylon has regained its status as a favorite spot for family and wedding gatherings,’ Abdullah expresses with evident pride, affirming further, ‘Babylon symbolizes the spirit of Iraq.’ Approximately 80 kilometers south of Baghdad, the resilient Babylon encompasses not just the archaeological remnants of the ancient city, but also surrounding villages and swathes of agricultural land. Despite the trials of time, looting and harsh environmental conditions, Babylon has proven its enduring vitality.

However, over the years, a series of infrastructure advancements took a severe toll on the city. A railway line was driven through the site by the British in 1927, causing substantial damage. Even worse, during the 1980s, Saddam Hussein constructed a highway through a section of the site, complemented by a regal palace equipped with a helipad, considerably damaging the heritage city. It was only as recent as 2019 that Babylon finally earned recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Presently, Ahmed Abdelgawad, an Egyptian architect renowned for his expertise in mud brick structures, is collaborating with the World Monuments Fund to impart critical skills to locals in the traditional craft integral to the restoration of the Temple of Ninmakh. The temple had suffered substantial damage due to a synthesis of long-standing warfare, structural neglect, and botched up reconstruction attempts during the mid-century. Persistent infiltrations of salty groundwater, a byproduct of prolonged droughts and soil erosion in Iraq’s climatically vulnerable regions lead to major corrosive effects on the temple.

The indigenous art of preparing specialized low-salt mud bricks, necessary for the structure’s revitalization, begins with procuring soil with minimal salt content. This soil is then mixed with sand, straw, and grit to constitute the mud bricks. ‘This is Iraq’s first entirely mud brick-based, restored arch,’ remarks Osama Hisham, the manager of the Future of Babylon project.

For the temple’s roof restoration, disrupted by termite infestation, a slightly different, saltier concoction of mud bricks and bitumen was employed. This effort, rightfully symbolizing the essence of Iraq, utilized materials sourced from different parts of the nation for the restoration process.

The ancient Babylonians displayed incredible ingenuity in tackling groundwater intrusion problems, observes Hisham. He detailed how they would ‘cut the archway of the gate and bury it, turning it into the foundation for a new gate’. As a result of this technique, the Ishtar Gate, built by Nebuchadnezzar II and currently under repair by the WMF, lies seven meters beneath the old city, with a mere two meters visible above the ground.

Over time, an awe-inspiring blue-glazed gate built atop the original gate by Nebuchadnezzar II gradually crumbled post the downfall of the Babylonian Empire during the 6th century B.C. Visitors to present-day Babylon are greeted by a replica of the gate, installed in the 1950s. However, Hisham points out that the Ishtar Gate in Babylon is significantly more genuine than the one showcased in Berlin, stating ‘The gate here in Babylon is 80% original, compared to the one in Berlin which is only 20% so.’