Firdos Square

It is one of the most famous squares in Baghdad and a prominent landmark in the city’s political and historical landscape. The square is located on the Rusafa side of the Tigris River, and it is overlooked by the Ishtar (Sheraton) Hotel and Palestine (Meridien) Hotel.

Also facing the square is the historic 17 Ramadan Mosque, and the square once housed the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, which was built during the era of President Abdul Karim Qasim.

In 1982, the monument was demolished and replaced by a statue of President Saddam Hussein, erected to mark his 65th birthday. The statue stood approximately 12 meters tall, but it was torn down during the invasion of Iraq on April 9, 2003.