Built about 575 BCE, the Ishtar Gate was an enormous burnt-brick entryway located over the main thoroughfare of Babylon. It was more than 38 feet (12 meters) high and was decorated with glazed brick reliefs, in tiers, of dragons and young bulls. Only some scattered portions of the original structure remain, which was deteriorating. The recent restoration focused on reinforcing the gate’s retaining walls. A much smaller replica of the gate (pictured below) was reconstructed near the original site in 1987.

The ancient Temple of Ninmakh, another iconic Babylonian site, has been rebuilt. The temple was constructed in honor of the Mesopotamian deity Ninhursag (also called Ninmakh), a mother-goddess figure, during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (c. 605–c. 561 BCE). Over time the temple had been reduced to a series of layered ruins. The rebuilt site—which Iraq hopes will become a venue and community resource—included the use of mud-bricks, to retain authenticity.