Al-Qurnah


Al-Qurnah is a city in southern Iraq about 74 km northwest of Basra, within the town of Nahairat. Qurna is located at the confluence point of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to form the Shatt al-Arab. Local folklore holds Qurna to have been the site of the Garden of Eden. An ancient jujube tree is locally celebrated and shown to the tourists as the actual Tree of Knowledge of the Bible.

History

The town experienced the Battle of Qurna during the Mesopotamian Campaign of World War I, when the British defeated Ottoman troops who had retreated from Basra.

Current conditions

The small Qurna Tourist Hotel was built during the Ba'athist period to encourage tourism for the region. However it is most likely not in use now. As of the start of the 2003 Iraq War, conditions at the site were reportedly woeful. Cracked pavement and bullet holes along with the poor condition of the tree itself made future tourism seem out of the question. However, the area's natural environment and Western presence make it viable for development for tourism.

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