- Arabic:
- Al-Mawṣil
Mosul
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Where is Mosul located?
Mosul is a city in northwestern Iraq, serving as the capital of the Nīnawá governorate. Originally on the western bank of the Tigris River, it has expanded to the eastern bank, encompassing the ruins of ancient Nineveh. Mosul is Iraq’s second largest city and a key commercial center in the country’s northwest, located approximately 225 miles (362 km) northwest of Baghdad.
Mosul has historically been a crucial bridge between Syria and Anatolia with Persia. The city's climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, sometimes frosty, winters. January temperatures in Mosul range from 24 to 63 °F (-4 to 17 °C).
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What river runs through Mosul?
Mosul, a city in northwestern Iraq, is located on the western bank of the Tigris River. The city has expanded to the eastern bank and now encircles the ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh. The Tigris River flows 1,417 km through Iraq before joining the Euphrates. Mosul is the chief commercial center for the northwestern portion of Iraq.
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Why is Mosul important in Iraq's history?
Mosul is significant in Iraq's history due to its strategic location and rich cultural heritage. It served as a crucial bridgehead linking trade routes between Syria, Anatolia, and Persia.
Mosul reached its peak under the Zangid dynasty (1127–1222), becoming a hub for metalwork and miniature painting. Under Ottoman rule from 1534 to 1918, it was a vital trade center. In 2014, the city fell to ISIS, who were pushed out in 2017 by Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
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What are some major landmarks or sites in Mosul?
Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, has been influenced by many cultures throughout its history. Though many historical structures were destroyed by ISIL, some landmarks and sites remain significant.
The University of Mosul, established in 1967, stands as the second-largest university in Iraq. The city is known for the Mosul School of metalwork and painting, which flourished under the Zangid dynasty (1127–1222) and influenced Islamic art. The Mosul Museum (1951) displayed artifacts from renowned archeological sites. Five bridges connect the city's two sides, and their reconstruction has been a focus since the ISIL occupation.
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How has Mosul been affected by recent conflicts?
Mosul has endured significant upheaval due to recent conflicts. In June 2014, ISIS seized control of the city, leading to the destruction of numerous historical landmarks, including the Great Mosque of al-Nūri and the Tomb of Nabi Yūnus. The city remained under ISIS control until Iraqi and Kurdish forces pushed them out in 2017. Five bridges that connect both sides of the city were severely damaged during the ISIS occupation but became a focus of reconstruction efforts in the years that followed. These events have had a profound impact on Mosul's social and cultural landscape.
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How do people in Mosul rebuild and recover after war?
Mosul, Iraq, a city that fell to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in June 2014, has been undergoing rebuilding and recovery since its liberation by Iraqi and Kurdish forces in 2017.
Mosul has been enlarged in area several times by new construction since World War II. Expansion has been most striking on the eastern bank of the Tigris River. Five bridges connect the city's two sides and were a focus of reconstruction after being severely damaged during the ISIL occupation. Many ancient buildings dating back to the 12th century were destroyed by ISIL, including the Great Mosque of al-Nūrī and the Tomb of Nabi Yūnus (Jonah).
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Mosul, city, capital of Nīnawā muḥāfaẓah (governorate), northwestern Iraq. From its original site on the western bank of the Tigris River, the modern city expanded to the eastern bank and now encircles the ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh. Located 225 miles (362 km) northwest of Baghdad, Mosul is Iraq’s second largest city and constitutes the chief commercial centre of the northwestern portion of the country.
Probably built on the site of an earlier Assyrian fortress, Mosul succeeded Nineveh as the Tigris bridgehead of the road that linked Syria and Anatolia with Persia. By the 8th century ce it had become the principal city of northern Mesopotamia. In succeeding centuries a number of independent dynasties ruled the city, which reached its political zenith under the Zangid dynasty (1127–1222) and under Sultan Badr al-Dīn Luʾluʾ (reigned 1222–59). Famous schools of metalwork (see Mosul school [metalwork]) and miniature painting (see Mosul school [painting]) arose in Mosul at that time, but the region’s prosperity ended in 1258 when it was ravaged by the Mongols under Hülegü.
The Ottoman Turks ruled the region from 1534 to 1918, during which time Mosul became a trade centre of the Ottoman Empire and the headquarters of a political subdivision. After World War I (1914–18) the Mosul area was occupied by Britain until a border settlement (c. 1926) placed it in Iraq rather than in Turkey. The city’s commercial importance thereafter declined because it was cut off from the rest of the former Ottoman Empire.
Mosul has since grown more prosperous, with increased trade and the development of important oil fields nearby to the east and north. There is a refinery in the city. Mosul was once famous for its fine cotton goods. It is now a centre of cement, textile, sugar, and other industries and a marketplace for agricultural products. The city has road and rail connections with Baghdad and other Iraqi cities and with nearby Syria and Turkey, and it has an airport.
The population has traditionally consisted mainly of Kurds, along with a large minority of Christian Arabs, but a resettlement plan instituted by the Baʿath Party government beginning in the 1970s increased the presence of Arabs in the city. The overthrow of the Baʿathists in 2003 during the Iraq War led to an eruption of ethnic strife, as Kurds sought to reclaim property that they alleged had been expropriated by the government. In June 2014 the city fell to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL; also called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria [ISIS]), apparently with the help of former Baʿathists. It remained under the control of the Sunni insurgents until they were pushed out by Iraqi and Kurdish forces in 2017.
Since World War II (1939–45) the city has been enlarged in area several times by new construction. Most striking has been the expansion on the eastern bank of the Tigris. Five bridges connect the two sides of the city; they were severely damaged during the ISIL occupation but were an important focus of the city’s reconstruction in the years that followed. The University of Mosul (1967) is the second largest university in Iraq, after the University of Baghdad. In the early 21st century Mosul was home to a number of ancient buildings, some dating from the 12th century. Many of them were destroyed by ISIL, including the Great Mosque of al-Nūrī (with its leaning minaret, called al-Ḥadbāʾ), the Red Mosque, the mosque of Nabī Jarjīs (St. George), the Tomb of Nabī Yūnus (Jonah), several Christian churches, and various Muslim shrines and mausoleums. Pop. (2018 est.) 1,361,819; (2019 est.) 1,476,218.