User:Hozs/sandbox

Kurdish Traditional Architecture Kurdish traditional architecture can be classified into three basic categories according to their location, 1) towns(shar) 2)village (gund), 3) nomadic. Citadel ( qalla ) of Erbil (Arbil) is a good example of this old and unique architectural heritage in Kurdistan. Erbil (ancient Arbela) is located in southern Kurdistan, about 190 kilometres south west of sulaimanya. It is one of the oldest urban sites in the world continuously settled till ( 2007 ) for some 6000 years and has been witness to the rise and fall of major ancient in iraq and kurdistan history . An important stage of Erbil’s’ history was in the 12th century it became part of the Ayyubids Empire which was a Kurdish empire that dominated the Middle East and Egypt for two centuries. Old descriptions of the city done by (Yaqut al-Hamawi)  describes the city during the 12th century as a strong and large city built on the top of a hill and containing houses, markets, and mosques. Another settlement was built down in the valley beside the hill. The settlement on the hill was divided into three residential areas, !) Saray at the east, 2)Top Khanah at the south, 3) Takiyyah at the north. The rich people settled around the edge of the city forming a ring. by hozS