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Mosul
City in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq

Mosul

Mosul is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate.

Plan a trip to Mosul→From Arbil

It is the second largest city in Iraq overall after the capital Baghdad and situated on the banks of Tigris. The ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, once the largest city in the world, are on the east side of the city.

Get in

Getting to Mosul

From Baghdad: shared taxis are available from Allawi North garage in Baghdad. Cost is 25,000 IQD for a seat (likely 5,000 IQD extra for the front seat); the driver will usually cram in 4 passengers before leaving. The journey takes 4-5 hours. From Erbil: shared taxis are available at 10,000 IQD per seat. Journey takes 2-3 hours.

  1. 01
    Garage Baghdad

    Garage where shared taxis to/from Baghdad depart and arrive.

  2. 02
    Mosul North Garage
  3. 03
    Mosul

    As of 2023, the airport is closed and not expected to reopen within the next few years.

  4. 04
    Mosul International Airport
See

Worth seeing

Mosul was rich in old historical places and ancient buildings: mosques, castles, churches, monasteries, synagogues, and schools, many of which have architectural features and decorative work of significance. The town centre was dominated by a maze of streets and attractive 19th-century houses. There were old houses here of beauty.

  1. 01
    Great Mosque

    Tradition holds that Nur ad-Din Zangi, a Turkoman atabeg of the Great Seljuk Empire and sultan of its Syrian province, built the mosque in 1172–1173, shortly before his death.

  2. 02
    Mujahidi Mosque

    Dates back to 12th century AD, and is distinguished for its shen dome and elaborately wrought mihrab.

  3. 03
    Mosul Grand Mosque

    A modern mosque still under construction on the right side of Tigris.

  4. 04
    Mausoleum of Yahya Abu

    On the right bank of the Tigris, known for its conical dome, decorative brickwork and calligraphy engraved in Mosul blue marble, built in the 13th century.

  5. 05
    Mosque of the Prophet Yunus

    A site with a shared Jewish, Christian and Islamic heritage, this is the supposed burial place of Prophet Jonah.

  6. 06
    Al-Raabiya Mosque

    Built in 1766 with an impressive decorated dome.

Do

Things to do

  1. 01
    Spring Theater

    Partly restored in 2021, this theater and music venue is home to several performances.

  2. 02
    Baytna

    Housed in a historic house, this cultural centre houses exhibitions and live concerts.

  3. 03
    Mosul Forest

    Established as a nursery to produce seeds in the early 1950s, this urban forest is a popular for picnics and hiking.

Eat

Where to eat

A number of restaurants, mainly on the eastern side of the city, have reopened.

How locals move

Getting around Mosul the local way

  • Get inFrom Baghdad: shared taxis are available from Allawi North garage in Baghdad.
  • Get inFrom Erbil: shared taxis are available at 10,000 IQD per seat.
  • Get aroundThere's no public transport system within the city, apart from mini buses and shared taxis.

From Wikivoyage: Mosul, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-03.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Abdulsalam Al Dabbagh (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.