Nasiriyah, Iraq
Coordinates: 30.961467, 46.105698
Ur is possibly the city of Ur Kasdim (Ur of the Chaldees) mentioned in the Jewish text as the birthplace of the Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام
Traditionally he is believed to have lived some time in the 2nd millennium BC.
There are however conflicting traditions and scholarly opinions identifying Ur Kasdim with the sites of Sanliurfa, Urkesh, Urartu or Kutha.
Two Places Claims to be the Birthplace of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام
The birth place of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام mentioned in the biblicale texts goes by the name Ur of the Chaldees or Ur Kasdim.
First Location
In 1862, Henry Rawlinson identified Ur Kasdim with Tell el-Muqayyar near Nasiriyah commonly knows as Ur in southern Iraq.
In 1927, Leonard Woolley excavated the site and identified it as a Sumerian archaeological site where the Chaldeans were to settle around the 9th century BCE.
Second Location
Second most prominent location, traditionally thought to be Hz. Ibrahim’s عليه اسلام birthplace are in the vicinity of the city of Urfa (Şanlıurfa) in modern south eastern Turkey.
Traditional Jewish and Muslim authorities, such as Maimonides and Josephus have stated the city of Urfa to be ancient Ur of the Chaldees.
House of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام
The childhood home of Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام there is a structure located 300 meters from Ziggurat of Ur.
It is thought to be about 4,000 years old and probably served as an administrative center for Ur.
Great Ziggurat of Ur
The site is marked by the partially restored ruins of the Ziggurat of Ur, which contained the shrine of Nanna, excavated in the 1930s.
The ruins cover an area of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) northwest to southeast by 800 metres (2,600 ft) northeast to southwest and rise up to about 20 metres (66 ft) above the present plain level.
Site
The place was known for worshiping the false God of moon. Walking here is like a walk in glorious history of Sumer. The greatness of the place and the first civilization in the history will take you to another world and you can imagine how great festivals were held here.
Considering the reverence that both Muslims, Christians and Jews have for Hz. Ibrahim عليه اسلام, it is unusual that so little attention has been given to the place of his birth.
Today, Ur of the Chaldees remains as it has for thousands of years, a ruin in the desert, untainted by synagogue, mosque, church or other shrine. Even the conflicts of recent years seem to have passed it by. As a result, this archaeological site is nearly virgin territory for religious tourists.
Know This
Getting here may be tricky as you need to buy the tickets in the museum inside the city and then come to the site.
