The city of Asshur (or Assur or Ashur) on the Tigris was originally a colony of Babylonia, and later became the first capital city of Assyria, to which it gave its name.It was the royal city of Assyria until the reign of Asurnasirpal II, who moved to Kalhu (Nimrud).
Assur was often the religious capital of Assyria, with its temples of Ishtar and Assur.
Assur was conquered by the Babylonians in 614 B.C.Today the archaeological survey is directed by a German expedition.
The United Nations declared Asshur a World Heritage Site.
Its most important and striking sight today is the Ziggurat, which is a great construction built of backed bricks on the top of a rectangular platform composed of several layers, devoted to the god Assur, as well as the ground temple nearby devoted to the same god and called "Temple of the Universe". There are also temples devoted to the gods of the sun and the moon, and one with two towers sacred to Anu, god of the sky, and Adad, god of storms.
The city overflowed its walls, and many buildings were erected beyond them, notably the Akitu temple where the New Year Festivals were celebrated. It was built by Sennacherib on the river bank (now the old course of the Tigris) and had it surrounded by extensive gardens.
You can also see a recently reconstructed building: the Arab Palace with the four ewans which were once decorated with plaster arabesques. It dates back to the Arab reign in Hatra some two thousand years ago. In the course of their excavations, Iraqi archaeologists discovered the Arabic name of the architect who had designed the palace on one of its supports, which justifies calling it the Arab Palace.
Assur Wikipedia
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