ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Three neighborhoods near Erbil’s historic citadel will be renovated and transformed into museums and tourist sites, the governor said on Saturday.
"We have a plan to renovate three neighborhoods of Erbil in their own style and turn them into museums and tourist sites,” Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw told Rudaw. “Our goal is to promote the culture and history of Erbil province.”
The neighborhoods - Araban, Khanaqa, and Tajil - are all located near the citadel.
Erbil is among the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. The citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, sits in the heart of the city and is believed to date back to around 4,000 BC. Restoration efforts began in 2009 and continue today.
Outside of the citadel, many of the city’s original quarters, once vibrant residential areas, are in poor condition and have been largely abandoned for years.
“Each of the neighborhoods is planned to be renovated in their ancient style and in an attractive manner,” Xoshnaw said.
The plan has been prepared by the governorate and submitted to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Council of Ministers. Xoshnaw said the project has not begun “due to a lack of budget.”
In late October, the Kurdistan Center for Culture and Art said it was finishing restoration work on two houses in the Arab Quarter while preserving their original character.
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