Hatra: City of the Sun God

This inspirational exhibition showcases the imposing ruins of Hatra, an ancient city located roughly 50 miles west of Mosul in modern day Iraq. The exhibition provides the ideal opportunity to become familiar with what is hoped to become one of Iraq's most significant cultural and tourist attractions of the future. Hatra: City of the Sun God runs in the Allard Pierson Museum from 19 December 2009 to 28 February 2010.

Rising from the ruins
Hope glimmers on Iraq's cultural-historical horizon. The National Historical Museum of Iraq in Baghdad reopened in February 2009. This museum, combined with unique historical locations such as Hatra, allow the war-torn and divided country to show its more welcoming side. Iraq is steeped in history and hopes that a bright future for culture and tourism is just around the corner.

City of the Sun God
Nearing the end of 1 AD, the pre-Islamite city of Hatra rose out of the desert sands, only to be abandoned hardly 150 years later. The holy city, dedicated to the sun god, boasts multiple temples that have impressively stood the test of time and are equally visually absorbing. Iraqi archaeologists have been working in Hatra since the 1950s and in 1985, UNESCO placed the city on the World Heritage List.