Hillah

The nearest city to the ruins of ancient Babylon, Hillah sits on the Euphrates River in central Iraq, a short drive south of Baghdad. The ancient site, along with the nearby ruins of Borsippa and Kish, makes this provincial capital a base for exploring some of the most historically significant ground in the world. The city itself has a walkable centre with cafés and restaurants, a river running through its middle, and date palms lining its banks. Founded in 1101 by Sadaqa ibn Mansur, it was once a major centre of Islamic scholarship.

• Population455,700
• Nearest water from center2.5 km
• Nearest mountain from center7.9 km
• UNESCO within 50 km1