Erbil: the oldest continuously inhabited citadel in the…

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil preserves a tell-top citadel that according to UNESCO has remained continuously inhabited for over six thousand years.

The center, around the world's oldest continuously inhabited citadel, can be comfortably visited by taxi or rental car.

The Citadel of Erbil, a UNESCO World Heritage site, rises on an artificial mound formed by millennia of overlaid settlements, among the oldest continuously inhabited centers in the world.

A few steps away, the Qaysari Bazaar, a covered market at the foot of the citadel, sells spices, fabrics and gold according to centuries-old commercial traditions.

Continuing toward the main square, you visit the Museum of Kurdish Textiles, which displays traditional Kurdish carpets and costumes.

Toward evening, the central square of Erbil, with its illuminated fountains, animates families and restaurants in the heart of the modern city.

The Citadel of Erbil, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014, is considered by some archaeologists as the world's oldest continuously inhabited settlement, with traces of occupation dating back to the sixth millennium BC.

Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous region with its own administration, has maintained relative stability in recent decades that has allowed Erbil to develop as a commercial and cultural hub of the region, also attracting foreign investment.