Since 2007, the number of inhabitants in the historic city centre was still very
high (5,000–5,500). Vehicular access was permitted to the Citadel. The construction of an access road and two pedestrian paths caused progressive erosion of the
western slope of the elevation. Water for households is pumped to steel tanks on the
roofs and water is distributed by gravity. Electrical wiring is situated on the posts
and the houses elevations. There is no sanitation in the Citadel, and the remaining
inhabitants use dry toilets, which have all the expected health and hygiene hazards.
The regional government of Kurdistan is looking for opportunities to revitalize and
preserve this unique complex for the future when a significant rise in tourism is
expected. For this reason, almost all residents were evicted in 2009. At the moment,
the number of inhabitants of the historic city centre is negligible. Unfortunately, the
state of the citadel began degrading, rapidly causing the deterioration of buildings.
The Al-Qala Citadel in Erbil is one of the world’s most endangered historic sites
(based on UNESCO’s data). In 2014 Al-Qala Citadel was added to the UNESCO’s
World Heritages List.
1
The practical work is part of an international project of the post-war reconstruction and regeneration of Iraq. It is made in connection with the Cultural Heritage
Regeneration Assistance Program of the Iraqi Republic, approved by the Government of the Czech Republic. The content of the project is the comprehensive
assistance in the preservation and revitalization of the historic city centre and
assistance in the preservation and renovation of the architectural monuments of
Erbil city.
The Czech Republic was part of the project represented by the Gema Art Group,
Czech Technical University in Prague (Musı ´lek et al. 2001), University of West
Bohemia in Pilsen and University of Pardubice. The Iraqi partners were the
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Iraq, official representatives of the region
and the city, religious leaders of the region, and Salahaddin University in Erbil
(Nova ´c ˇek et al. 2008). Between the years 2006 and 2010, many Czech expeditions
to Erbil had been conducted to document the basic monuments, investigate the
archaeological conditions, and find appropriate technology for objects restoration
(R ˇ eznı ´c ˇek et al. 2013). In the frame of the previous project of post-war reconstruction, the Czech firm GemaArt realized together with other specialists the photogrammetric and geodetic measurement of Al-Qala Citadel. Inside the citadel was
reconstructed one building used as a Czech cultural centre (located near the French
centre).
In Erbil, the next valuable historic object after Al-Qala citadel is the Choli
minaret (Nova ´c ˇek 2011). It is from fourteenth century and it is a last part of the
oldest Kurdish mosque. It is ranked among the most significant Kurdish monuments
and its condition is alarming because of the tilting of the upper part of the minaret.
The lower seven-angle part of the minaret is ca 12 m high. The circular part of the
minaret is about 24 m high and shelters a double spiral staircase. As stated by the
1 Erbil citadel has been inscribed on the World Heritage List on June 21, 2014. http://whc.unesco.
org/en/news/1155.
3 Combining Different Data Sources for City Growth Analysis. . .
43
high (5,000–5,500). Vehicular access was permitted to the Citadel. The construction of an access road and two pedestrian paths caused progressive erosion of the
western slope of the elevation. Water for households is pumped to steel tanks on the
roofs and water is distributed by gravity. Electrical wiring is situated on the posts
and the houses elevations. There is no sanitation in the Citadel, and the remaining
inhabitants use dry toilets, which have all the expected health and hygiene hazards.
The regional government of Kurdistan is looking for opportunities to revitalize and
preserve this unique complex for the future when a significant rise in tourism is
expected. For this reason, almost all residents were evicted in 2009. At the moment,
the number of inhabitants of the historic city centre is negligible. Unfortunately, the
state of the citadel began degrading, rapidly causing the deterioration of buildings.
The Al-Qala Citadel in Erbil is one of the world’s most endangered historic sites
(based on UNESCO’s data). In 2014 Al-Qala Citadel was added to the UNESCO’s
World Heritages List.
1
The practical work is part of an international project of the post-war reconstruction and regeneration of Iraq. It is made in connection with the Cultural Heritage
Regeneration Assistance Program of the Iraqi Republic, approved by the Government of the Czech Republic. The content of the project is the comprehensive
assistance in the preservation and revitalization of the historic city centre and
assistance in the preservation and renovation of the architectural monuments of
Erbil city.
The Czech Republic was part of the project represented by the Gema Art Group,
Czech Technical University in Prague (Musı ´lek et al. 2001), University of West
Bohemia in Pilsen and University of Pardubice. The Iraqi partners were the
Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Iraq, official representatives of the region
and the city, religious leaders of the region, and Salahaddin University in Erbil
(Nova ´c ˇek et al. 2008). Between the years 2006 and 2010, many Czech expeditions
to Erbil had been conducted to document the basic monuments, investigate the
archaeological conditions, and find appropriate technology for objects restoration
(R ˇ eznı ´c ˇek et al. 2013). In the frame of the previous project of post-war reconstruction, the Czech firm GemaArt realized together with other specialists the photogrammetric and geodetic measurement of Al-Qala Citadel. Inside the citadel was
reconstructed one building used as a Czech cultural centre (located near the French
centre).
In Erbil, the next valuable historic object after Al-Qala citadel is the Choli
minaret (Nova ´c ˇek 2011). It is from fourteenth century and it is a last part of the
oldest Kurdish mosque. It is ranked among the most significant Kurdish monuments
and its condition is alarming because of the tilting of the upper part of the minaret.
The lower seven-angle part of the minaret is ca 12 m high. The circular part of the
minaret is about 24 m high and shelters a double spiral staircase. As stated by the
1 Erbil citadel has been inscribed on the World Heritage List on June 21, 2014. http://whc.unesco.
org/en/news/1155.
3 Combining Different Data Sources for City Growth Analysis. . .
43