Erbil is the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq and the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. The population is apprximately 1,5 million people.

Life in Erbil can be dated back to at about 6000 years BC and therefore it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In the middle of the city is the ancient Citadel of Erbil, which is about 7000 years old. At one of the two entrances is a huge statue of Mubarak Ben Ahmad Sharaf-Aldin, a famous Muslim historian of Erbil.
Right next to the southern exit of Erbil’s Citadel is the Qaysari Bazaar, which is said to be one of the oldest covered markets in the world.