Al Rasheed Street
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Al-Rashid Street () is one of the main avenues in downtown
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
,
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
. Named after
Abbasid Caliph The Abbasid caliphs were the holders of the Islamic title of caliph who were members of the Abbasid dynasty, a branch of the Quraysh tribe descended from the uncle of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. The family came ...
Harun al-Rashid Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn ibn Muḥammad ar-Rāshīd (), or simply Hārūn ibn al-Mahdī (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Hārūn al-Rāshīd (), was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, reigning from September 786 unti ...
, it is one of the most significant landmarks of the city due to its political, spiritual, urban, and cultural history. Opened from
al-Maidan Square Al-Maidan Square (), also known as just al-Maidan, is an old locality and area located in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, al-Rusafa district in Baghdad, Iraq, that begins from Bab al-Mu'adham to al-Rashid Street. The square includes many buildings, markets, de ...
, the boulevard is considered an important urban heritage site of Baghdad and bears witness to what Iraq has gone through in terms of political events, intellectual stature, and commercial success that Iraq saw over more than a century, as well as being a tourist attraction. The avenue includes many historic landmarks such as
Haydar-Khana Mosque The Haydar-Khana Mosque () is a historic mosque situated on al-Rashid Street at the Haydar-Khana locality in Baghdad, Iraq. Originally built on top of an older mosque built by the Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir, the modern mosque was ...
, the
Murjan Mosque Murjan Mosque () is a historic mosque on Al-Rasheed Street, al-Rashid Street located near the Shorja marketplace and the Abboud Building in Baghdad, Iraq. The walled mosque is significant for housing tombs of prominent Islamic scholars, including ...
,
al-Zahawi Café Al-Zahawi Café () is a heritage café located in Al Rasheed Street, al-Rasheed Street between al-Maidan Square and Haydar-Khana Mosque near Mutanabbi Street, al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad, Iraq. The café is one of the oldest traditional cafés ...
, and Souk al-Haraj. Historically, the street has gone by many names. Al-Rashid Street became recognized as a symbol of the transformation of Baghdad due to the many changes the city has seen through the last century. The street has been compared to various notable streets around the world such as the
Champs-Élysées The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (, ; ) is an Avenue (landscape), avenue in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, long and wide, running between the Place de la Concorde in the east and the Place Charles de Gaulle in the west, where the Arc ...
in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, the Muhammad Ali Street in
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
, and the
Hamra Street Hamra Street or Rue Hamra () is one of the main streets of the city of Beirut, Lebanon, and one of the main economic and diplomatic hubs of Beirut. It is located in the neighborhood of the same name, Hamra. Its technical name is Rue 31. Due ...
in
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due to their artistic, historic, and influential significance. The street has also been suggested to be enlisted on
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's
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
due to its history and significance and many efforts were done to get it enlisted and was observed as the main historic avenue and commerce area of Baghdad in the past and its area was compared to the
Rive Gauche The Rive Gauche (; Left Bank) is the southern bank of the river Seine in Paris. Here the river flows roughly westward, cutting the city in two parts. When facing downstream, the southern bank is to the left, whereas the northern bank (or Rive Dr ...
in Paris. In recent years, the avenue has been recognized as the heart of Baghdad and nicknamed "Baghdad's living memory" due to its significance.


Name

The street names were changed several times such as "''Hindenburg Street''" a name used by the British and then later "''al-Nasr Street''". It was until the name settled on its current name in 1936, which was launched by the Iraqi linguist and historian
Mustafa Jawad Mustafa () is one of the names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and the name means "chosen, selected, appointed, preferred", used as an Arabic given name and surname. Mustafa is a common name in the Muslim world. Given name Moustafa * Moustafa A ...
after Abbasid Caliph
Harun al-Rashid Abū Jaʿfar Hārūn ibn Muḥammad ar-Rāshīd (), or simply Hārūn ibn al-Mahdī (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Hārūn al-Rāshīd (), was the fifth Abbasid caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, reigning from September 786 unti ...
. The name "Al-Rashid" () was an honorific title given to the Abbasid Caliph which meant "followers of the right path."


Historical background


Early establishment

Before the establishment of the street, the areas around the current street held several significant positions. These include localities in which Christians lived, especially near the St. Joseph Latin Cathedral which was built in 1866 located near the current street, silversmith shops that the Baghdadi Sabian-Mandaeans community operated, the shrine of Ibn Ruh al-Nawbakhti, the souks of al-Shorja, the ancient Sayyid Sultan Ali Mosque, several
Abbasid The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 C ...
Era commercial centers, the
Khan Murjan The Khan Murjan (, also: Khan Marjan) is a building in the souk of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built by the Jalayirid governor of Baghdad, Amin al-Din Murjan in the 14th century originally as a caravanserai, an inn for traveling merchants, with a larg ...
for merchants, the ancient
Murjan Mosque Murjan Mosque () is a historic mosque on Al-Rasheed Street, al-Rashid Street located near the Shorja marketplace and the Abboud Building in Baghdad, Iraq. The walled mosque is significant for housing tombs of prominent Islamic scholars, including ...
, several coffeehouses, and the Haydar-Khana Mosque. One of the localities, the Sababikh al-A'al locality, was also the home of several foreign missionaries such as the first French consul to Baghdad, followed by the American consul, and the directors of several British companies. The street's origin dates back to the late Ottoman Empire period. Between 1915 and 1917, the demolition of around 700 houses took place to pave the way for the road. The demolishing was carried out by a group of German military engineers,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
being the main ally of the Ottomans during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and was named "Halil Pasha Street" after Ottoman army general
Halil Pasha Halil Pasha () was an Ottoman Empire, Ottoman statesman who served as the List of Ottoman governors of Egypt, governor of Egypt Eyalet, Ottoman Egypt from 1631 to 1633. He was known for his "gentle, impartial, and prosperous administration"d'Avenn ...
who was governor of Baghdad at the time. The avenue was opened in 1914 by the Ottoman administration as a modern avenue for transportation and to expand trade. Because the narrow road networks that were common in Iraq at the time didn't suit carriages or transportation, the street was wider with sidewalks that included arcades that acted as shading for pedestrians. The street would later be expanded along the older parts of Baghdad and was always kept parallel to the
Tigris River The Tigris ( ; see below) is the eastern of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of the Armenian Highlands through the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, before merging ...
. The road was originally paved to coumarate the
Siege of Kut The siege of Kut Al Amara (7 December 1915 – 29 April 1916), also known as the first battle of Kut, was the besieging of an 8,000-strong British Army garrison in the town of Kut, south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army (1861–1922), Ottoman Ar ...
. However, the street's gull construction was completed once the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
took over Iraq and was wide enough for vehicles to pass through. The street became shaded by hanging balconies which were held by arcades. During the British colonialist rule of Iraq, the Haydar-Khana Mosque, a mosque located on the street, started to become one of the brewing aspects of the
Iraqi Revolt The Iraqi Revolt of 1920, also known as the Iraqi War of Independence or Great Iraqi Revolution began in Baghdad in the summer of 1920 with mass demonstrations by Iraqis, including protests by embittered officers from the old Ottoman Army, agai ...
due to how frequent the notables and personalities of the city gathered in opposition to the British. British troops reportedly stormed the mosque in an attempt to arrest the revolutionaries. One instance, the Haydar-Khana Mosque saw several anti-British meetings by Iraqi Muslims and prominent Iraqi figures. On 23 May 1920, the mosque was one of the many mosques where mawlid was held. A speech was given by young Iraqis, including
Mullah Mullah () is an honorific title for Islam, Muslim clergy and mosque Imam, leaders. The term is widely used in Iran and Afghanistan and is also used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and Sharia, sharia law. The title h ...
'Uthman al-Mawsili, in favor of expelling the British. In response, British forces exiled al-Mawsili to Basra. Iraqis on the street responded by closing shops on the road and protesting, calling for a national government. This led the British forces to block the road and close it. They would then surge the mosque using an armored car, at least one person was reported to have been killed during this event which was a deaf-mute who got run over after getting his foot stuck. Even after the independence of the
Kingdom of Iraq The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was the Iraqi state located in the Middle East from 1932 to 1958. It was founded on 23 August 1921 as the Kingdom of Iraq, following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian campaign of the First World W ...
, the area stayed as a hot spot for revolutionary gatherings.


Flourishing during the Kingdom of Iraq

Al-Rashid Street became home to many political and cultural events and establishments. As well as Baghdad's most famous coffeehouses, restaurants, and markets. Coffeehouses such as ones themed after Egyptian singer
Umm Kulthum Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...
and the al-Zahawi Café. This caused artists, students, and intellectuals to visit the avenue commonly. Due to this, al-Rashid Street became the main street for the coffeehouse culture of Baghdad, alongside
Abu Nuwas Street Abu or ABU may refer to: Aviation * Airman Battle Uniform, a utility uniform of the United States Air Force * IATA airport code for A. A. Bere Tallo Airport in Atambua, Province of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia People * Abu (Arabic term), a kun ...
. Throughout the decades, literary coffeehouses started to be established and were inhabited by all generations. Some coffeehouses started to be associated with the big three Neo-Classical Iraqi poets al-Zahawi, al-Rusafi, and al-Jawahiri, who met with several younger poets in the cultural coffeehouses. Al-Rashid Street was also connected to al-Mutanabbi Street which played a role in exposing readers to old and new Arabic knowledge alongside translated global knowledge. Many newly established printers were established on that street. Examples of prominent coffeehouses on the avenue were the Arif Agha Café, which was inhabited by al-Rusafi, al-Zahawi Café, which was famous for its literary battles between al-Zahawi and al-Rusafi, and Hassan 'Ajami Café, which was inhabited by al-Jawahiri and was also his favorite. The Hassan 'Ajami Café was also located next to the Shamash School for
Iraqi Jews The history of the Jews in Iraq (, ', ; , ) is documented from the time of the Babylonian captivity . Iraqi Jews constitute one of the world's oldest and most historically significant Jewish communities. The Jewish community in Mesopotamia, kn ...
, as well as the Hajj Zabala Shop for
Raisins A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the word ''raisin'' is reserv ...
Juice and al-Sayyid's Cakes that was located in front of the former. Other coffeehouses that were on the street were the Parliament Café, which al-Jawahiri also visited frequently, and the
Brazilian Café The Brazilian Café () was an old well-known coffeehouse in Baghdad, Iraq, that was notable for its European style and significant artistic legacy. Located near the Aladdin Cinema, the coffeehouse also provided Brazilian coffee that was imported ...
which was the home to the modern Iraqi literary movement, and was where Iraqi painter
Jawad Saleem Jawad Saleem (, 1919–1961) was an Iraq, Iraqi painter and sculptor born in Ankara, Ottoman Empire in 1919. He became an influential artist through his involvement with the Iraqi Baghdad Modern Art Group, which encouraged artists to explore tech ...
claimed he learned the use of color from. The Brazilian Café, alongside another nearby Coffeehouse named the Swiss Café, was unique compared to the coffeehouses due to their European items and theme. The coffeehouses also saw political activities such as gatherings in protest against the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1948, which were held in the Hassan 'Ajami Café. Around the 1930s, many cinemas and theaters such as al-Rashid Cinema,
al-Zawra'a Cinema Al-Zawra'a Cinema () is one of the oldest cinemas located on al-Muraba'a area in Baghdad, Iraq. The cinema is considered an important architectural landmark of al-Rashid Street and a Baghdadi heritage sight. History By the early 20th century, ...
, and Roxy Cinema started to be established on al-Rashid Street. The cinemas were divided between summer and winter theaters and showed
Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...
,
Fox Film The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox. It was the corporate successor to his earlier Greater Ne ...
, and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
films. Cinemas played a major role in Iraqi society, and Baghdadi cinemas used to distribute weekly advertisements for movies in Arabic and English. At the time, going to cinemas was a weekly event for the working and the middle class. Thursday became the traditional day of the week when Baghdadi families went to theatres and acted as a break day for students. Around the mid-1950s, many cinemas in
Bab al-Sharqi Bab Al-Sharqi is a neighborhood of central Baghdad, Iraq. It is bordered with Shorja and Bataween. The area surrounding Bab Al-Sharqi market is a stronghold of the Mahdi Army, the main Shia militia in central Iraq.. Background This Shi'a neig ...
area started demolishing. During the 1950s, the street saw a flourishing in commercial and financial centers which also spread to the nearby street called " Al-Samu'al Street" which became known for its financial pulse and role in the Baghdadi stock exchange at the time. This street area contained the main al-Rafidain Bank headquarters and other private commercial banks. Before 1948, many of the workers in these financial institutions were Iraqi Jews, Indians, and British people. Iraqi businessmen met with sellers in coffeehouses on al-Samu'al Street to complete sales and discuss purchasing bargains.


Visits from foreign celebrities

One of the most influential figures to visit Iraq during the Royal era was the Egyptian singer
Umm Kulthum Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...
. She hosted several concerts around al-Rashid Street's theaters. Most notably the al-Hilal Theater which Umm Kulthum visited in 1932 with a welcoming poem recited by al-Rusafi. Al-Istiqlal newspaper published an article about the visit entitled “The Magic of Babylon and Pharaohs at the al-Hilal Nightclub" in which it documented that starting from 18 October 1932, Umm Kulthum hosted eight concerts in the theater. Umm Kulthum's popular song "Baghdad, O' Castle of Lions" would be broadcast daily for decades until 2003 in the wake of the US invasion of Iraq. Due to Umm Kulthum's popularity, coffeehouses themed after her were established and visited by her Iraqi fans. Another well-known figure to visit Baghdad was Indian Bengali poet and philosopher
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
in 1932 who also visited al-Zahawi Café and met with the Iraqi poet that the coffeehouse takes its name. Another celebrity who also visited the street was the Syrian-Egyptian singer
Fayza Ahmed Fayza Ahmed (; December 5, 1934 – September 24, 1983) was a Syrian-Egyptian singer and actress. During her career, she appeared in six films. Early life Fayza Ahmed was born in 1934 in Sidon, Lebanon to a Syrian father and a Lebanese mot ...
who, just like Umm Kulthum, held concerts in several theaters.


During the Republic of Iraq

During the
14 July Revolution The 14 July Revolution, also known as the 1958 Iraqi military coup, was a ''coup d'état'' that took place on 14 July 1958 in Iraq, resulting in the toppling of King Faisal II and the overthrow of the Hashemite-led Kingdom of Iraq. The Ira ...
, the 1958 military coup that overthrew the Iraqi Monarchy, the Crown Prince
Abd al-Ilah Abd al-Ilah of Hejaz () (; also written Abdul Ilah or Abdullah; 14 November 1913 – 14 July 1958) was a cousin and brother-in-law of King Ghazi of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and was regent for his nephew King Faisal II, from 4 April 1939 ...
's corpse was dragged along the street and then cut to pieces. That day, the street was full of demonstrations and marches. During the afternoon of that same day, many bodies were dragged into the street including the body of a Jordanian delegation from the Hashemite Federal Parliament who happened to be on a visit to Iraq was dragged through the area with a stick being shoved into his bottom while the crowded shouted for the capture of
Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali () (20 April 1903 – 24 May 1997) was an Iraqi statesman, educator, politician and diplomat, who held important posts in the government of Iraq, during the royal era. Most notably he served as Iraq's prime minister ...
, the former-Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs. Iraq and Jordan were united into the
Arab Federation The Hashemite Arab Federation was a short-lived confederation that lasted from 14 February to 2 August 1958, between the Hashemite kingdoms of Iraq and Jordan. Although the name implies a federal structure, it was ''de facto'' a confederation. T ...
at the time. It was also around this time Iraqi photographer
Latif al-Ani Al-Latif (''Al-Laṭīf'' , also anglicized as ''Al-Lateef'') is one of the names of God in Islam, meaning "kind". Latif can also be a masculine given name, as short form of Abdul Latif, meaning "servant of the Gentle". Its feminine form is Latif ...
started to take pictures of the daily life at the street. The following year after the overthrow, on 7 October 1959 Iraqi Republican leader
Abd al-Karim Qasim Abdul-Karim Qasim Muhammad Bakr al-Fadhli Al-Qaraghuli al-Zubaidi ( ' ; 21 November 1914 – 9 February 1963) was an Iraqi military officer and statesman who served as the Prime Minister and de facto leader of Iraq from 1958 until his ...
, who led the revolt that overthrew the Monarchy, narrowly avoided death in a botched assassination attempt during a residential motorcade on the avenue. The assassination attempt was planned out by the regional leadership of the early Ba'ath Party. A young
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
participated in the assassination attempt. The plan was to have five of the perpetrators stand behind the pillars of the buildings on the street in front of the Brazilian Café and open fire on Qasim. Saddam would then emerge from the Umm Kulthum Café, which he sat in, and then shoot Qasim. The leader then jumped out of the car in time. Soldiers on the car reacted. While Qasim survived, his assistant, Qasim al-Janabi, was killed in the attack by one of the assassins. Saddam had also injured one of his legs in the attack. Seventy-eight members of the Ba'ath Party were arrested and put on trial. The Ba'ath would later gain enough support to overthrow Qasim. By the beginning of the 1960s, al-Rashid Street started to lose a lot of European products of higher quality that were imported from outside countries and made the street's markets famous. Despite its loss, al-Rashid Street remained the living center of Baghdad throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Many of its libraries, restaurants, coffeehouses, and theaters still being active with a statue of al-Rusafi in the middle of the street. Throughout the era of president
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
, al-Rashid Street remained the main center of Baghdad despite some of the older buildings being worn out. The street became more busy with organized thoroughfare. The most notable and active parts of the avenue were the shops, coffeehouses, art museums, banks, schools, and the historic mosques located within the avenue. With the street still connecting to old Baghdadi suburbs that contain narrow alleyways. File:Baghdad_LOC_13186.jpg, Al-Rashid Street and the Mosque-Madrasa of al-Ahmadiyya in 1932. File:The_Zawraa_Cinema,_Al-Rashid_street,_Baghdad,_1942.jpg,
Al-Zawra'a Cinema Al-Zawra'a Cinema () is one of the oldest cinemas located on al-Muraba'a area in Baghdad, Iraq. The cinema is considered an important architectural landmark of al-Rashid Street and a Baghdadi heritage sight. History By the early 20th century, ...
in al-Rashid Street in 1942. File:جامع_أمين_الدين_مرجان.jpg, Photoghraph of the
Murjan Mosque Murjan Mosque () is a historic mosque on Al-Rasheed Street, al-Rashid Street located near the Shorja marketplace and the Abboud Building in Baghdad, Iraq. The walled mosque is significant for housing tombs of prominent Islamic scholars, including ...
and the Abboud Building on the street by
Latif al-Ani Al-Latif (''Al-Laṭīf'' , also anglicized as ''Al-Lateef'') is one of the names of God in Islam, meaning "kind". Latif can also be a masculine given name, as short form of Abdul Latif, meaning "servant of the Gentle". Its feminine form is Latif ...
. File:Al-Rasheed_Street_1961.jpg, Al-Rashid Street in 1961 and the
Haydar-Khana Mosque The Haydar-Khana Mosque () is a historic mosque situated on al-Rashid Street at the Haydar-Khana locality in Baghdad, Iraq. Originally built on top of an older mosque built by the Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir, the modern mosque was ...
.


Architecture

Along the street are sidewalks which include arcades built to shade the pedestrians from the sun with three-story buildings along the avenue. Around 70% of the avenue is covered with these shaded arcades which gave al-Rashid Street a lot of its architectural character. These arcades are located on both sides of the avenue with each
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...
is about five meters long and have diameters ranging from 38cm to 55cm and the width of the road not exceeding 12 meters between each side. However, the road isn't a straight line which was made to not demolish some heritage buildings such as the mosques despite the demolishing of the Murjan Mosque's side walls to make way for the avenue. It is estimated that there are more than a thousand columns on the avenue although most of the buildings and arcades have fallen into neglect and despair after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. The arcades hold several buildings, many of which are multi-leveled and include post-modernist colonial European, traditional Iraqi, and Renaissance architectural influence which was considered modern for its time. The old visual appearance of the avenue was supposed to convey a sense of harmony and formal unity to the average pedestrian. Swiss architectural historian Stefano Bianca described parts of al-Rashid Street's architecture as being reminiscent of European colonial architecture due to the fact that the Ottoman Empire's architecture showed features of westernization in its last decades when it was establishing western-type municipalities since at least the 1870s in Syria and Iraq. He also noted the arcades of the street having Mediterranean influence although still keep some native traditional aspects persistent such as the height of the buildings. Some of the houses on al-Rashid Street also include ''shanashil'', an old Islamic balcony that was a common architectural feature to preserve privacy. Often made from carved and paneled wood, these shanashil can still be found around the street in the houses in narrow alleyways and have become part of Iraqi folklore.


Notable landmarks and historical sites

Al-Rashid Street is usually divided into five distinctive sections as a result the many places it runs across: Al-Sinak, al-Murabba'a, al-Shorja souks, Haydar-Khana, and al-Maidan areas. As such, the avenue includes many notable landmarks and sights of interest throughout its existence, some dating back to before the construction of the street. These include:


Coffeehouses

Coffeehouses in Baghdad were considered social and intellectual houses for many social classes. As such, the city has an abundance of cafés and many are located on al-Rashid Street. These consist of al-Zahawi Café, al-Baladiyya Café, Shatt al-'Arab Café, Hassan 'Ajami Café, the Parliament Café, the Brazilian Café, Umm Kulthum Café, the Swiss Café, and many more. These include:


The Brazilian Café

* Founded in the 1940s close to the Swiss Café, the Brazilian Café in the al-Murabba'a locality was frequented by writers, students, journalists, and intellectuals who were offered Turkish coffee mixed with Brazilian beans imported from
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
.


Hajji Khalil Café

* Founded in 1931 by a then-well-known Baghdadi
Hajji Hajji (; sometimes spelled Hajjeh, Hadji, Haji, Alhaji, Al-Hadj, Al-Haj or El-Hajj) is an honorific title which is given to a Muslim who has successfully completed the Hajj to Mecca. Etymology ''Hajji'' is derived from the Arabic ' (), which i ...
named Khalil al-Qahwati, the Hajji Khalil Café was a coffeehouse that once existed in front of the gate of al-Mutanabbi Street that served free tea, sold famous Iraqi beverages, and attracted many Iraqis from all social classes. Those include military men, tribal sheikhs, Islamic sheikhs from
Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...
and
Najaf Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2024 is about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam an ...
, the elderly, and students. But the coffeehouse was more well known for its owner, Khalil al-Qahwati, where people came for his company. The coffeehouse, alongside its owner, has also been featured in the 1957 Iraqi movie Saeed Effendi in a minor role.


Hassan 'Ajami Café

* Founded by a man named Hassan al-'Ajami Chai-khana in 1917, the Hassan 'Ajami Café is one of the most well-known coffeehouses on the avenue located north of the Haydar-Khana Mosque. The coffeehouse was decorated with rare Russian samovars decorated with pictures of
Russian tsars Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...
and official seals dating back to the 19th century. As well as tea flasks and hookah bottles. The walls were decorated with pictures of
King Faisal I Faisal I bin Hussein bin Ali Al-Hashemi (, ''Fayṣal al-Awwal bin Ḥusayn bin ʻAlī al-Hāshimī''; 20 May 1885 – 8 September 1933) was King of Iraq from 23 August 1921 until his death in 1933. A member of the Hashemite family, he was a l ...
,
King Ghazi Ghazi ibn Faisal () (21 March 1912 – 4 April 1939) was King of Iraq from 1933 to 1939 having been briefly Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Syria in 1920. He was born in Mecca, and was the only son of Faisal I. He died in a car accident in Bag ...
, and Qajar Shahs. The coffeehouse declined after the 2003 US invasion and many of its decorations and items disappeared or were damaged.


The Swiss Café

* Founded in the 1940s by a highborn Syrian man, the Swiss Café was a European-themed coffeehouse that offered
Café au lait ''Café au lait'' (; ; French for "coffee with milk") is coffee with hot milk added. It differs from white coffee, which is coffee with cold milk or other whiteners added. In France, it is typically served as a breakfast drink, often as a la ...
and cassata ice cream. Iraqi-Palestinian author and artist
Jabra Ibrahim Jabra Jabra Ibrahim Jabra (28 August 1919 – 12 December 1994) () was an Iraqi-Palestinian author, artist and intellectual born in Adana in French-occupied Cilicia to a Syriac Orthodox Christian family. His family survived the Seyfo Genocide and f ...
used to frequent this coffeehouse. The coffeehouse was more liberal and less traditional than all previous coffeehouses in Baghdad as it allowed women of all ages to enter and had Western music by composers such as
Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...
and
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...
play in it for its patrons. Thus the coffeehouse became well known for playing classical music. Other than Jabra, Iraqi writers
Abd al-Malik Nuri Abd al-Malik Nuri (, 1921-1998 CE) was an Iraqi novelist and writer active during the Iraqi cultural scene of the 20th century known for both his fiction and non-fiction writings, as well as participating in the revival of Iraqi literature in hi ...
,
Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati Abd al-Wahhab al-Bayati (Arabic: عبد الوهاب البياتي) (December 19, 1926 – August 3, 1999) was an Iraqi Arab poet. Biography Al-Bayati was born in Baghdad. Al-Bayati was an Iraqi Turkmen poet. One of his friends, Ahmed Abdel-Mo ...
, and Fu'ad al-Takarli were also known to frequent and have regular meetings in this coffeehouse to discuss several topics and issues.


Al-Zahawi Café

* Named after neo-classical Iraqi poet al-Zahawi, the
coffeehouse A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargi ...
is located near al-Maidan Square and behind the Haydar-Khana Mosque. The coffeehouse was frequented by many patrons and intellectual meetings. The coffeehouse was also famous for its literary battles between al-Zahawi and al-Rusafi.


Places of worship

* Located in the center of the avenue opposite the
Khan Murjan The Khan Murjan (, also: Khan Marjan) is a building in the souk of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built by the Jalayirid governor of Baghdad, Amin al-Din Murjan in the 14th century originally as a caravanserai, an inn for traveling merchants, with a larg ...
, the
Murjan Mosque Murjan Mosque () is a historic mosque on Al-Rasheed Street, al-Rashid Street located near the Shorja marketplace and the Abboud Building in Baghdad, Iraq. The walled mosque is significant for housing tombs of prominent Islamic scholars, including ...
is an ancient mosque and
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
that dates back to the
Jalayirid Sultanate The Jalayirid Sultanate () was a dynasty of Mongol Jalayir origin, which ruled over modern-day Iraq and western Iran after the breakup of the Ilkhanate in the 1330s.Bayne Fisher, William. ''The Cambridge History of Iran'', p. 3: "From then until ...
and was founded by Jalayirid politician Amin al-Din Murjan. The complex was finished around 1357 and its madrasa contained
Hanafi The Hanafi school or Hanafism is the oldest and largest Madhhab, school of Islamic jurisprudence out of the four schools within Sunni Islam. It developed from the teachings of the Faqīh, jurist and theologian Abu Hanifa (), who systemised the ...
and
Shafi'i The Shafi'i school or Shafi'i Madhhab () or Shafi'i is one of the four major schools of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), belonging to the Ahl al-Hadith tradition within Sunni Islam. It was founded by the Muslim scholar, jurist, and traditionis ...
studies. The mosque is also notable for its ornamental brickwork and inscriptions which includes
Kufic The Kufic script () is a style of Arabic script, that gained prominence early on as a preferred script for Quran transcription and architectural decoration, and it has since become a reference and an archetype for a number of other Arabic scripts ...
writing on its walls and prayer hall. During the early decades of al-Rashid Street's existence, parts of the mosque was demolished to expand the avenue despite backlash from Baghdadis and
Gertrude Bell Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell (14 July 1868 – 12 July 1926) was an English writer, traveller, political officer, administrator, and archaeologist. She spent much of her life exploring and mapping the Middle East, and became highly inf ...
who recognized the mosque's heritage status. The mosque's prayer hall was rebuilt on the other side of the building. The entrance of the mosque, the original Kufic decorations, and the shrine of Murjan, which was located under the main dome, were preserved and moved. * Located in the Haydar-Khana locality, the
Haydar-Khana Mosque The Haydar-Khana Mosque () is a historic mosque situated on al-Rashid Street at the Haydar-Khana locality in Baghdad, Iraq. Originally built on top of an older mosque built by the Abbasid Caliphate, Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir, the modern mosque was ...
was built in its current form by the last Iraqi Mamluk Dawud Pasha in 1825 and is the largest mosque from the Ottoman period in Baghdad. The mosque is square with its southwestern wall facing al-Rashid Street, alongside two of its gates. Topped by a large arabesque dome and two other smaller domes surrounding it with its minaret located in the northeastern corner of the mosque. During the early days of the Iraqi state, the Haydar-Khana Mosque was a brewing area for Iraqi opposition movements and protests by, beginning with opposition against British imperial rule. * The Sayyid Sultan Ali Mosque overlooking the Tigris River can be found through an entrance in the center of al-Rashid Street. The exact date of the mosque's construction are unknown and disputed although it was rebuilt and renovated several times throughout its existence such as an 1892 reconstruction ordered by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II. The mosque also contains the shrine for a man named Sultan Ali and a madrasa for the Rifa'i order.


Notable markets


Souk al-Haraj

* Located in al-Maidan Square, Souk al-Haraj is known for having a large and diverse selection of items being sold in it. It is also known for being a largely crowded souk every day with thousands gathering in it every day.


Souk al-Safafeer

* Located between the Tigris River, al-Mustansiriya Madrasa, and al-Rashid Street, the 500-meter-wide
Souk al-Safafeer Souk al-Safafeer () is an ancient souk or bazaar in Baghdad, Iraq, that branches off al-Rashid Street and connects to Mustansiriyya Madrasa, al-Mustansiriyya Madrasa. The souk was established in Central Baghdad on the shores of the Tigris River in ...
is an old
handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...
coppersmiths’ marketplace well known for its loud and echoing hammer beating noises against copper. The souk gets its name from the Arabic name for the color of copper "Safra" and has been active for centuries. The souk maintains traditional coppersmith handwork, a profession that many people picked up for centuries. The souk sells handmade copper decorations and items. Shortly before the 2003 US invasion, former French President
Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...
visited the souk during a trip. Souk al-Safafeer historically was also home to many
caravanserais A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a variety of names inc ...
and houses that belonged to notables, merchants, and
Pashas Pasha (; ; ) was a high rank in the Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitaries, and others. ''Pasha'' was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of Egypt and it was also us ...
of Baghdad.


Art and film institutions

The avenue contained one of the headquarters for the Chakmakchi Company, an Iraqi music company originally founded in 1918. The well-established institution played a role in preserving the old musical and artistic history of Iraq and the Middle East. Among the Iraqi singers that the company recorded were
Muhammad al-Qubanchi Muhammad al-Qubanchi (), born Muhammad Abd al-Razzaq al-Ta’i () was an Iraqi maqam singer. He was one of the pioneers in the field of Iraqi maqam who modernized it, and is considered one of the most prominent maqam reciters in Iraq. Early li ...
,
Nazem al-Ghazali Nazem al-Ghazali (, given name also spelled ''Nazim'', ''Nadhim'', ''Nadhem'' or ''Nathem''; 1921 – 23 October 1963) was an Iraqi singer, considered one of the most important figures in Iraqi music. Life Nazem al-Ghazali was born in the Hayda ...
, Hudiri Abu Aziz,
Salima Pasha Salima Mourad or Salima Murad (; 2 February 1900 – 28 January 1974) was an Iraqi Jewish singer who was well-known and highly respected in the Arab world. She was given the nickname "Pasha" by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Said. Salima wa ...
, and
Afifa Iskandar Afifa Iskandar Estefan (, 10 December 1921 in Mosul, Iraq - 21 October 2012) was an Iraqi singer active from the mid-1930s to the first decade of the 21st century. She was considered one of the best female singers in Iraqi history. She was nick ...
while among the other singers include Umm Kulthum,
Abdel Halim Hafez Abdel Halim Ali Shabana (), commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez (, ) (21 June 1929 – 30 March 1977), was an Egyptian singer, actor, conductor, businessman, music teacher and film producer. Abdel Halim is considered to be one of the greatest ...
, Muhammad Abdel Wahab,
Farid al-Atrash Farid al-Atrash (; October 19, 1910 – December 26, 1974), also spelled Farid El-Atrache, was a Syrian-Egyptian singer, oudist, composer, and actor. Although born in Syria, he immigrated to Egypt at the age of nine with his mother and siblings, ...
, and
Fayza Ahmed Fayza Ahmed (; December 5, 1934 – September 24, 1983) was a Syrian-Egyptian singer and actress. During her career, she appeared in six films. Early life Fayza Ahmed was born in 1934 in Sidon, Lebanon to a Syrian father and a Lebanese mot ...
. After the introduction of cassettes and CDs in the 1990s, the company declined in its activities. The avenue was also home to many cinemas and theatres. Baghdad, along with
Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
and
Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...
, was one of the only Middle Eastern cities that imported American movies that were shown in theatres and cinemas. The movies that were imported and shown included movies from
Warner Brothers Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
, 20s Century Fox Studios,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
,
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of N ...
and
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
as well as other Arab movies. The street included cinemas such as the Roxy Winter Cinema, the Roxy Summer Cinema,
al-Zawra'a Cinema Al-Zawra'a Cinema () is one of the oldest cinemas located on al-Muraba'a area in Baghdad, Iraq. The cinema is considered an important architectural landmark of al-Rashid Street and a Baghdadi heritage sight. History By the early 20th century, ...
, the Rex Cinema, the Broadway Cinema (which later changed its name to Aladdin Cinema), al-Watan Cinema (later converted into a theater for the plays of Jassem Sharaf), al-Rashid Cinema, al-Rafidain Summer Cinema, the Royal Cinema, the Central Cinema, al-Hamra Cinema, the Cairo Summer Cinema and al-Sharq Cinema which was later demolished. In the 1940s, after the death of Iraqi poet al-Rusafi, a statue for the poet was built in his honor at the crossroads of al-Rashid Street and al-Ma'mun Street and faces the direction in front of the al-Karkh district.


Other notable landmarks

After World War I, a Scottish immigrant in Iraq named Kenneth Mackenzie established the Mackenzie Library in the center of al-Rashid Street, a private library. After its owner suffered a heart attack in 1928 his brother, Donald Mackenzie, gave the management of the library to his brother's assistant, Jawad Karim, who would change management over time after each owner passed away. The library exported English literature, newspapers, magazines such as the Burda Style, and books such as
Das Kapital ''Capital: A Critique of Political Economy'' (), also known as ''Capital'' or (), is the most significant work by Karl Marx and the cornerstone of Marxian economics, published in three volumes in 1867, 1885, and 1894. The culmination of his ...
. The
Khan Murjan The Khan Murjan (, also: Khan Marjan) is a building in the souk of Baghdad, Iraq. It was built by the Jalayirid governor of Baghdad, Amin al-Din Murjan in the 14th century originally as a caravanserai, an inn for traveling merchants, with a larg ...
is located on the street, opposite the
Murjan Mosque Murjan Mosque () is a historic mosque on Al-Rasheed Street, al-Rashid Street located near the Shorja marketplace and the Abboud Building in Baghdad, Iraq. The walled mosque is significant for housing tombs of prominent Islamic scholars, including ...
and next to the Central Bank. Recognized as one of the finest caravanserais in the Middle East, the caravanserai became a notable historical landmark and a restaurant in the 1970s. In 2015, the Abd al-Karim Qasim Museum was opened after the former house of Halil Kut was restored to preserve the history of the era. The museum includes a lot of his belongings and gifts he received.
Baghdad Jewish Community Center Baghdad Jewish Community Center, officially known as the Special Committee for the Religious Affairs of Ezra Menahem Daniel, is a Jewish institution in the city of Baghdad, Iraq. Located in the historic district of Baghdad, it has played a signifi ...
is located on al-Rashid Street. It is the main community center and headquarters of the Administrative Committee for Iraqi Jews. It also serves as a cultural center for the small remnant Jewish community of Iraq, which is now around 160.


Modern era and preservation status

The first attempt to restore the street and return to its historical position was in 2001 under the leadership of
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
who had ordered the restoration of the Sayyid Sultan Ali Mosque located on the outskirts of the street the year before. The municipality of Baghdad announced a campaign to develop and organize al-Rashid Street. Mayor of Baghdad, Adnan Abd al-Hameed al-Douri, made it clear that the campaign was aimed to make the street a social, commercial, and political movement as it was in the past, and it also falls within the framework of a broad plan to develop and organize Baghdad. This campaign was launched due to the hardships Baghdad had gone through due to the
international sanctions against Iraq On 6 August 1990, four days after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) placed a comprehensive embargo on Iraq. The sanctions stayed largely in force until 22 May 2003 (after Saddam Hussein being forced from p ...
and the decline of the street due to the sanctions. Many establishments, such as the Brazilian Café, survived the decline. Hussein has also ordered the reconstruction of several mosques in the area such as the Haydar-Khana Mosque, Murjan Mosque,
Mosque-Madrasa of al-Asifyah The Mosque-Madrasa of al-Asifyah () is a complex of mosque and madrasa located near the riverbank of Tigris, in Baghdad, Iraq. The mosque and its associated complex including school buildings, old courts and other former government buildings, and ...
,
al-Wazeer Mosque The Al-Wazeer Mosque () is a Sunni Islam, Sunni mosque, located in the Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa district of Baghdad, in the Baghdad Governorate of Iraq. The mosque was built by the Vizier, Wazir of Baghdad Hassan Pasha in 1599 Common Era, CE d ...
, and the
Uzbek Mosque The Uzbek Mosque () is a historic mosque located in the Al-Rusafa, Iraq, al-Rusafa district of Baghdad, Iraq. It is distinguished by its architecture and history that dates back to the 17th century. The mosque is also unique due to its associatio ...
, as well as Churches and synagogues.


After the 2003 invasion of Iraq

Al-Rashid Street began to see a decline as a general social and intellectual location during the UN embargo on the country, especially the later 2003 invasion of Iraq. Many of its shop owners have since fled the country although many Iraqis have accused the new government of neglecting and ignoring the street's heritage. Reportedly, the street saw many buildings damaged by bullets due to the infighting between its people and clashes that had happened. Additionally, due to the invasion and sectarian violence that followed, the street became a victim of several bombing incidents that were planted near it.
Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
had started to monitor the avenue around the early days of the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
. On 17 September 2004, a car bomb exploded near a police station on the street and al-Mutanabbi Street, leaving at least 52 dead. Officials arrested 63 suspects who were foreign militants that came from other Arab countries. In June 2010, al-Rashid Street's Central Bank building was raided by unidentified terrorists disguised in military uniforms using several bombs to get through and rob the bank's Iraqi dinars and gold supplies to fund their insurgent group. The attack left 14 people dead and caused the avenue's shopkeepers to barricade their shops and flee. The last bombing on the avenue took place in 2016 which killed more than two dozen people. Many of the famous shops on the streets that used to sell clothes were turned into shops selling tools, industrial supplies, and tools needed by construction workers, in parallel with the spread of shops selling electricity generators due to the electricity situation in Iraq after 2003. Coffeehouses such as the Parliament Café and the Brazilian Café also became shops selling electrical appliances and hardware. The cinema halls for al-Zawra'a and the Royal Cinema have been turned into large wards. Over the years, there have been a lot of attempts to restore and preserve the street and to turn it back into an important street and a tourist site although several issues hindered it. According to the Municipality of Baghdad, 80% of the street buildings are owned by citizens and not by the state, so an agreement must be reached with them. As of 2018, 30% of the street's buildings have been restored. However, the Municipality was criticized for the restoration attempts due to having no architects, conservationists, or architecture historians working on the avenue. The street has also witnessed protests that demand the preservation of Iraqi heritage, reportedly sixteen protesters have died since. Fears of the destruction of the avenue's heritage were especially high after the demolishing of the Syriac Catholic Church in the Shorja areas in favor of a commercial store in 2019. According to writer Mehdi Falih, one of the reasons why the avenue is neglected is due to being named after Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid which contradicts the Sectarianist Shi'i Muslim-dominated government due to allegations of Abbasid Caliphs assassinating the Twelver Imams. Throughout the 21st century, many residents and activists have raised many campaigns to call attention to preserving the street. The Baghdad Municipality has announced a preservation plan several times since 2007. After the collapse of the Hilal Theater without an effort to rebuild it, concerns over the residents of the avenue were raised as other neglected arcades could fall on people and their shops. As of 2024, the avenue remains neglected and littered, many of its landmarks have already disappeared.


See also

*
Abu Nuwas Street Abu or ABU may refer to: Aviation * Airman Battle Uniform, a utility uniform of the United States Air Force * IATA airport code for A. A. Bere Tallo Airport in Atambua, Province of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia People * Abu (Arabic term), a kun ...
*
Café culture of Baghdad The coffeehouse culture of Baghdad () is a set of traditions and social behaviors in old, local, or traditional Baghdadi Coffeehouse, coffeehouses in Baghdad, Iraq. Ever since their inception in the 1500s, cafés have acted as social forums and g ...
* Al-Fitah Street *
Al-Jumhuriya Street Al-Jumhuriya Street (), also known as al-Khulafa Street (), is an old avenue located in the center of Baghdad, Iraq. The street contains many notable landmarks and heritage sites such as al-Khulafa Mosque, which the street gains its secondary nam ...
* Al-Mutanabbi Street *
Al-Mu'izz Street Al-Muizz li-Din Allah al-Fatimi Street (), or al-Muizz Street for short, is a major north-to-south street in the walled city of Islamic Cairo, historic Cairo, Egypt. It is one of Cairo's oldest streets as it dates back to the foundation of the cit ...


References


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rasheed Street Streets in Baghdad Neighborhoods in Baghdad Rasheed Street Street culture Culture of Iraq Central business districts Cultural depictions of Harun al-Rashid