On Mutanabbi Street, bookstalls spill onto the pavement and the smell of printed paper mixes with coffee from the surrounding cafés. It is the heart of Baghdad's reading and intellectual life, and it gives you a sense of the city that monuments alone cannot.
Baghdad suits travellers who are interested in layers of history, in Islamic architecture and in a city still rebuilding its cultural life. The eastern side holds the older districts, with alleys and buildings from the Ottoman era or earlier, while the western side is newer. This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, drawn from what is documented about the city, and a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Baghdad
1. Mutanabbi Street
This street is the heart and soul of Iraq's literary and intellectual community, lined with bookstores, outdoor book stalls and cafés where people gather to discuss the matters of the day. It sits within the historic old quarter, whose alleys and small streets contain buildings dating back to the Ottoman era or even older.
Come here to browse and to sit with a coffee rather than to tick off a sight. Combine it with a walk through the surrounding old quarter, and keep in mind that many of the older buildings are in various stages of disrepair.
2. Mustansiriya Madrasah
Often referred to as the Abbasid Palace, this medieval scholarly complex was established in 1227 CE. It is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Baghdad and a central landmark in the historic district.
Because it anchors the historic district, it pairs naturally with a walk through the old quarter and Mutanabbi Street. Allow time to look at the building itself rather than passing through quickly.
3. National Museum of Iraq
This museum covers the history of Mesopotamian culture and once housed a huge collection. Many pieces were looted during the Iraq War, but in 2022 the museum was refurbished and reopened.
Set aside a proper block of time here. The Al-Jaraar Monument stands in front of the National Museum, so you can see it on the same stop.
4. Al-Shaheed Monument
First built as a monument to Iraqi soldiers who died in the Iran-Iraq war, it was repurposed after 2003 as a monument for all Iraqi martyrs, including victims of Saddam Hussein's regime. It consists of a circular platform 190 metres in diameter in the centre of an artificial lake, with a museum, library, cafeteria, lecture hall and exhibition gallery on two levels underneath the domes.
It stands on the east side of the Tigris, near the Army Canal. The underground facilities make it worth more than a quick photo stop.
5. Freedom Monument
This massive sculpture sits at Tahrir Square, at the epicentre of Baghdadi civic life, and is one of the city's most well-loved monuments. Completed in 1961, it spans almost 50 metres and features bronze castings depicting the history of Iraq.
Go when the square is busy, since the monument is bound up with the life of the square around it. It is an easy stop to combine with other central sights.
6. Al-Kadhimiya Mosque
One of the most important Shi'ite religious sites in Iraq, finished in 1515, where the 7th Imam Musa ibn Jafar al-Kathim and the 9th Imam Mohammed Al-Jawad were buried. It lies northwest of Baghdad.
Because it is outside the central sightseeing area, plan it as a dedicated trip rather than an add-on to a walking route.
7. Abu Hanifa Mosque
One of Baghdad's most prominent Sunni mosques, it surrounds the tomb of Abu Hanifa, the founder of the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence.
It is a religious site rather than a museum, so treat your visit accordingly and combine it with other stops in the same part of the city.
8. Khan Murjan
Built in the 14th century as a caravanserai, an inn for travelling merchants, its centre was a hall more than 13 metres high.
The scale of the central hall is the reason to come. It fits well into a walk through the historic old quarter.
9. Baghdadi Museum
This history and folklore museum depicts life in Baghdad. It is on the eastern bank of the Tigris, 200 metres from Shuhada bridge.
Its location makes it easy to pair with a walk along the eastern bank. It is a good choice if you want context on how the city lived, rather than objects alone.
10. National Museum of Modern Art
Much of the rich heritage of modern Iraqi art has been lost or stolen in recent decades, but this museum still holds an impressive collection.
Come for the collection itself and give it unhurried time. It suits a slower afternoon rather than a rushed circuit.
11. Al-Khulafa Mosque
This is the oldest mosque in Baghdad, with parts dating back to 902 AD.
Its age is the reason to visit. It sits well within a route that takes in other historic religious buildings.
12. Haydar-Khana Mosque
Considered one of the finest examples of Ottoman construction in Baghdad.
Pair it with other Ottoman-era buildings such as the Qushla building and Al-Wazeer Mosque, built in the 1660s.
13. Qushla building
An Ottoman landmark building in the city.
It is a straightforward stop to fold into a walk that takes in the Ottoman religious architecture nearby.
14. Firdos Square
A public open space surrounded by several artwork monuments.
Treat it as a pause in a walking route rather than a destination in itself, and use it to see several monuments in one place.
15. Monument to the Unknown Soldier
Inspired by the glorification of a martyr from the Iran-Iraq War, the monument represents a traditional shield dropping from the dying grasp of an Iraqi warrior. It used to house a museum which is now mostly empty.
Iraqi soldiers guard the monument, so ask them for permission before you approach.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start in the historic old quarter at the Mustansiriya Madrasah, then walk to Mutanabbi Street to browse the book stalls and take a coffee. If time allows, add Khan Murjan, whose 14th-century merchant hall is close to the same area.
Afternoon. Visit the National Museum of Iraq, pausing at the Al-Jaraar Monument in front of it, then continue to the Baghdadi Museum on the eastern bank of the Tigris near Shuhada bridge. If you still have energy, the National Museum of Modern Art rewards an unhurried hour.
Evening. Head to Tahrir Square to see the Freedom Monument as the square fills up, then finish at Firdos Square, where several artwork monuments stand in one open space.
Frequently asked questions
Which side of Baghdad has the older districts?
Generally, the eastern side contains the older districts while the western side is newer. The historic old quarter, with its alleys and small streets, is where you will find buildings from the Ottoman era or earlier.
Is the National Museum of Iraq open to visitors again?
Yes. Many pieces were looted during the Iraq War, but in 2022 the museum was refurbished and reopened.
Can I visit the Monument to the Unknown Soldier freely?
The monument is guarded by Iraqi soldiers, so ask them for permission. The museum it once housed is now mostly empty.
What is the best area for books and cafés?
Mutanabbi Street, in the historic old quarter, is lined with bookstores, outdoor book stalls and cafés where people discuss the matters of the day.
Use this as a starting point, check the current situation on the ground, and begin mapping your days around the old quarter and the eastern bank of the Tigris.