shaqlawa tourism

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Shaqlawa is a historic city and a hill station at the bottom of Safeen mountain in the Erbil Governorate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq . The city is known for its waterfalls, trees, and greenery. Shaqlawa is a lush and fruitful region with a temperate climate and was a popular summer resort among Iraqis before the US invasion of Iraq.

In 2018, it was home to 25,500 people. Shaqlawa sits between Safeen mountain and Sork mountain, 1066 m above sea level. To the north and east of Shaqlawa is the Surk Mountain (900 m high) and to the west and south is a mountain called Safin (1457 m high).

Shaqlawa has very hot summers and relatively cold, wet winters. Subfreezing highs are very common in the winter, which would present frost. Snowfall is not uncommon.

The local area is covered by various trees of oak, tannins, hawthorn and others, and these trees constitute an economic resource for the people of Shaqlawa. Various wild animals also live in those mountains: pigs, wild goose, wolves and birds of all kinds.

Assyrian-Chaldean Christians live in Shaqlawa. It used to be inhabited by Jews (about 400 people), but they emigrated from Iraq in 1955.

Shaqlawa is characterized by the presence of several ancient churches and an ancient monastery known as the "Monastery of Rabban Biya", which dates back to the 4th century AD. It later became an important center of Christianity in the region, especially after its people converted to Catholicism in the 18th century. Also known about the town its poets and scribes, who were especially active in the monastery of Rabban Biya.

The city is 51 km to the northeast of Erbil. Buses and taxisvare available from Erbil .

• Dwin Castle ( Dween Castle ) ( a 40-min drive NW of town; ffrom the Haji Badrua mosque on Route 3 outside of town, head west toward Pirmam, but take the first road on your right to the castle ). Impressive ruinsof an Ottoman-era castle with stunning views. Below the fortress are the remnants of an ancient abandoned village. Across the road is a cemetery. ( updated Apr 2021 )

See the warning on the Iraq article for information on the security situation.

• Erbil is 50 km (31 mi) away, so this is an approximately one-hour drive.

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Best Things To Do in Shaqlawa, Iraq

Have you ever visited a new place and felt ‘wow’ about it? For many visitors, it happens at Shaqlawa.

Shaqlawa may not be as popular as other cities in Iraq, but don’t let that fool you. Shaqlawa is a smaller but beautiful upcoming tourist destination that is worth a visit. You will be surprised by some of the unique things to do and places you can explore at this hidden destination.

You might wish to revisit it someday again, to take a break and relax at Shaqlawa.

If you have plans to visit Iraq and are not sure if Shaqlawa should be included in your itinerary, keep reading. In this list, we have put together some of the things to do in Shaqlawa and around. We have a hunch that if you include this city in your travel plans, you will be thrilled you did so.

• Art & Cultural Attractions in Shaqlawa

Tourist Attractions in Shaqlawa

Here is the list of things to do in Shaqlawa and tourist attractions in city.

Erbil Observatory

Shaqlawa technical institute.

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• What to do in Shaqlawa in 1 day
• What to do in Shaqlawa in 2 days

09 May of 2012 by

A famous resort in Iraqi Kurdistan, situated to the north verdant of sefin Mountain, 966m high from the sea level. It has been visited by tourists since old times because it is a touristic city par excellence and a large part of its citizens make their living from the sector of tourism.

It is 51km from Erbil, and the road between them is in good state. It is temperature in summer reaches 30-35C and 10C below in winter. It is rich in trees and gardens. They sell a lot of local products and crops, namely, the fruits that grow in Shaqlawa’s gardens and the neighboring grow regions. It is a typical resort in terms of availability of touristy places and various services; it is probably the ideal tourism city in all Iraq.

Restaurants, hotels, casinos, motels, and resorts are numerous in Shaqlawa.

Gali Ali Bag waterfalls

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13 rooms and car parking available. Price for a room is 70$.

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• About Shaqlawa

Shaqlawa is a historic city and a Hill station in the Erbil Governorate in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Shaqlawa, a city of approximately 25,000 people, lies 51 km to the northeast of Erbil, at the bottom of Safeen Mountain. Shaqlawa is situated between Safeen Mountain and Sork Mountain, and sits 1066 m above sea level. The town is inhabited mostly by Kurds, with a small Assyrian minority. Shaqlawa has a very large quantity of waterfalls, trees, and a great growing of greenery. The town lies at the foot of Mountain Safeen, which is covered by vast and dense forests, in a fertile and vast valley 50 km north of the Governorate of Erbil.

To the east and north is the Sorek mountain. Shaqlawa's citizens are Muslims and Christians, where both have been living together for more than a decade. Shaqlawa is mostly known for the grave of St. Boya, on the top of Shaqlawa's mountain. Assyrians from several Kurdish regions visit St. Boya's grave and enjoy Shaqlawa's beautiful weather. Established in 1965, Virgin Mary Church is an Assyrian church in the city. Shaqlawa attracts the tourists due to its nature.

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Shaqlawa, an Attractive Resort for Tourists

Shaqlawa district is one of the districts of Erbil province, located 51 km northeast of the center of Erbil and is one of the most famous resorts in the South part of Kurdistan, located at the foot of Mount Safin in the north. The city is 966m above sea level. It has a cool climate with summer temperatures reaching 33 to 35 degrees Celsius and cold and rainy winters with snowfall.

Mount Sork is located in the eastern and northern parts of the Shaqlawa district. Shaqlawa district includes several towns and villages, including Hiran, Basrma, Harir, Balisan, Salaheddin, Kore, etc., as well as 218 villages.

In terms of astronomical location, Shaqlawa is located between the two circles of latitude (17/36) and (40/36) north and between longitude (75/43) and (39/44) east, thus Shaqlawa district is in the center of the region Kurdistan is located.

Shaqlawa is known as a bridge to connect the mountainous areas, which consist of complex and simple mountains on the one hand, and the plain areas, which include wavy plains and flat plains on the other.

However, Shaqlawa is located on Hamilton Road, which has an important position in the region and has become a center to connect the Suleimani and Duhok provinces.

The population of the city is about 160000 according to the 2018 census. In 1952, it became a district and its first governor was Shakir Fatah.

History of Shaqlawa:

When it comes to the history of Shaqlawa, it is unclear. However, artifacts and evidence of ancient civilization and continued human life have been found in this area. There are dozens of living examples in the hills and valleys of Mount Safin, which date back to centuries BC. In addition, Shaqlawa has been a major center of the coexistence of different religions.

Name of Shaqlawa:

Historians and linguists have different opinions on the meaning of the name Shaqlawa. After the 12th century AD, the name Shaqlawa has been mentioned in several different ways in various books and sources. In the book "Dictionary of Countries" by Yaqut Hamawi, the name appears as "Shaqlabad" and describes it as a pleasant, green, and spacious village, and he talks about it as a place close to Erbil and has many gardens and fruit trees.

Some sources indicate that the name Shaqlawa is derived from the split (Shaq in Kurdish means split which creates a valley) between Mount Sork and Mount Safin.

There is another source that shows that the word consists of two parts (Shaqla) or (Shaqra) which means tree in the ancient language of the region and (Awa) which means prosperity.

Shaqlawa nature and tourism sector

Due to the geographical location of Shaqlawa district, the attractiveness of the area, and the suitable climate, many tourists visit the district every year. Especially, in summer, due to the moderate temperature and favorable climate, the place is visited by many tourists, especially Arab tourists from southern and central Iraq.

Shaqlawa has a large number of shops, markets, accommodations, parks, and restaurants and is famous for several kinds of sweets. Due to the large number of tourists, the residents of the district are economically dependent on tourists.

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