The Bahidnan-Mosul Gate - Medi, Iraq - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

This gate used to be one of the main access points to Amedi, used by whoever would be heading or coming from Mosul or any point in the route. A steep trail with some parts in steps would lead from the lower flatland to the top of the plateau and Medi.

Besides the gate there are on the spot old stone engravings from the Medes era.

The historical marker displays the text in English, Arabic and Kurdish, with the English version as follows:

"The acropolis of Amedi/Amadiya, situated 1985 meters above sea level, is a naturally fortified location that has been settled since antiquity. The surrounding valley is home to bountiful orchards, springs and streams that power several traditional mills that produce the famous local tahina from crushed sesame. To the north is the Meteen mountain range, and to the south is the highest peak of the Gara mountains. Naturally fortified by a steep cliff face on all sides, the citadel was accessible at only two locations: at the east through the Zibari Gate (no longer standing) and to the west through the Bahdinan Gate (also known as the Sipna or the Mosul Gate), next to where you now stand.
Although the settlement is probably far older, the earliest archaeological evidence on the site dates to the Parthian dynasty (247
BC-227 AD). At this time, the city was part of the Adiabene kingdom, under the Parthian sphere influence. At approximately two thousand years old, a stone staircase leading to the gate, and the rock reliefs alongside are among the most important ancient works in the region, with the stairs perhaps the oldest continuously used monumental stairway in all of Iraq.
The limestone gate bears an inscription of Prince Badr al Din Lu'Lu' (r:1259-1225 AD) on the outer frame. It identifies him as the
Atabeg (ruler) and refers to him by his royal titles, Below is the translation in English:


"Glory be to Him [and to us is the Sultan, the King, the Merciful, the All-Knowing, the Just, the Supporter, the Victorious, Al-Mansour, the Mujahid, Al-Murabit.

The merchant, the invader, the full moon of the world and the religion.." in Arabic

Badr al Din Lu'lu' was a prince in the Zengi dynasty who united a number of cities, including Mosul and Amedi, and ruled what later became the Bahdinan emirate. From historical texts we know that Amedi was populated by a diverse community of Muslims, Christians and Jews and that it was the seat of power of the powerful Bahdinan dynasty. Remains of their palace and cemetery are still visible in the eastern part of the city. Amedi became a seat of power both because of its fortified location and its rich natural environment. In 1655, an Ottoman writer from Kutahya, Evliya Celebi, visited Amedi and described it in his Seyahatname, and in the nineteenth century a number of Western travelers came through the city. Although under Ottoman authority, the Bahdinan Dynasty continued to rule independently until the nineteenth century. Ottoman rule ended in 1918 when Amedi and the entirety of the Mosul Wilaya were taken by Britain. In 1926 it became part of the Kingdom of Iraq.

The arch of the gate is carved with a scene of two heroes fighting a double headed composite dragon with a long and intertwined serpent's tail. The heroes subdue the dragons. The man to the left is original; the one on the right was restored in 2023. The bearded, long-haired heroes, wearing decorated robes and boots, grasp the dragons by the jaws and pierce their necks with swords. The theme of the hero and dragon was common in the inter-religious art and culture of the medieval Islamic world. Originating in antiquity, the dragon has deep roots in the region; its reuse on Islamic portals in Turkey, Kurdistan, and throughout Iraq and Syria served talismanic purposes. The most famous of these examples was the Talisman Gate of Baghdad (1221 AD), which was destroyed during World War I.

The Bahdinan gate remained in good condition until the end of the Ottoman era, although structural repairs were already being made in the Ottoman period. The vault over the gatehouse collapsed in the early 20th century, but the portal remained largely preserved. The gate was partly reconstructed in the 1980s. Additional
restorations were made in 1997 by the Directorate of Antiquities of Duhok, but more repairs and restorations were needed. In 2019, Columbia University, New York, and Kurdistan Archaeology Organization began a restoration project to restore and stabilized the structure of the gate and stairway path, and conserve the rock reliefs. The work was completed in 2024 in collaboration with the Duhok Directorate of Antiquities. It was funded by the US Embassy, Baghdad with additional support by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation and Columbia University, New York."

Group that erected the marker: Columbia University URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Mosul Gate Medi, Iraq

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