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Najaf
Metropolis in Iraq

Najaf

Najaf is the capital city of the eponymous Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad.

Plan a trip to Najaf→From Baghdad

Its estimated population in 2024 was about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam and one of its spiritual capitals, as well as the center of Shia political power in Iraq.

Get in

Getting to Najaf

There are several daily flights from the capital Baghdad as well as several cities in Iran with national carrier Iraqi Airways. Additionally, there are a limited number of international flights from hubs such as Istanbul and Dubai.

  1. 01
    Al Najaf International Airport

    You can take shared taxis to/from Baghdad, Karbala, and other cities.

  2. 02
    Najaf Northern Garage

    This is the garage that north-bound (ex.

See

Worth seeing

Najaf is renowned as the site of the Tomb of Alī ibn Abī Tālib also known as "Imām Alī" the First Imam of Shia's, the cousin and son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad who is considered to be a righteous caliph by both the Shia and the Sunni. The city is now a great center of pilgrimage from throughout the Shi'a Islamic world. It is estimated that only Mecca and Medina receive more Muslim pilgrims.

  1. 01
    Al-Qadisiyyah

    Historical city, infamous as the site of the battle in 636, which saw forces of the Rashidun Caliphate defeat the Persians sent by Rostam Farrokhzad, the dynast of the Sasanian Empire.

  2. 02
    Great Mosque of Kufa

    Aside from its architectural significance, this mosque is historically important as the site of the assassination of Imam Ali, in 661 AD (40 AH).

  3. 03
    Ruins of Al-Hirah

    Ancient city.

  4. 04
    Najaf Heritage Museum
  5. 05
    Wadi-us-Salaam

    An Islamic cemetery, it is noted for being the largest cemetery in the world.

  6. 06
    Khan

    A historic khan, a type of roadside inn, on the road between Najaf and Karbala.

How locals move

Getting around Najaf the local way

  • Get inYou can take shared taxis to/from Baghdad, Karbala, and other cities.
  • Get inShared taxis to/from Karbala are 3,000 IQD (76km one way), to/from Nasiriyah are 15,000 IQD (256km one way), to/from Hillah are 7,500 IQD, and to/from Baghdad are 15,000 IQD (as of October 2022).

From Wikivoyage: Najaf, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-01.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see file page), Wikimedia Commons.