Amedi | town, citadel, place with historical importance

 town, citadel, place with historical importance

Amadiya (Kurdish: Amêdî or Amêdiyê, Arabic: اميدي / ‎آميدية, Amediyah), is a town along a tributary to the Great Zab in the Dahuk Governorate of Iraqi Kurdistan. The city is situated 4,600 feet (1,400 m) above sea level. The city has a population of 6,000.

The history of this city goes back at least to the Assyrian era, since it has always been a strategic place as it is built on the flat top of a mountain. For several centuries, after the expulsion of the caliphs from Baghdad, it was ruled by a pasha, a prince who was from the royal Abbas family, reputed to be one of the richest rulers in the region.

The region in which the city rests is also believed to have been the home of the Magi or priests of Ancient Persia. Amedia is believed to be the home of some of the most significant Magi priests, the Biblical Magi or the "Three Wise Men", who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see Jesus Christ shortly after his birth.

Amadiya was the birthplace of the pseudo-Messiah, David Alroy (fl. 1160). In 1163, according to Joseph ha-Kohen's "'Emeḳ ha-Baka", the Jewish population numbered about a thousand families and traded in gall-nuts. Alroy led a revolt against the city but was apparently defeated and killed in the process. The Spanish Jewish historian R. Schlomo Ibn Verga (1450–1525) portrayed the Jewish community of Amedia at the time of Alroy as wealthy and contented.

Amedi was the seat of the semi-autonomous Badinan Emirate, which lasted from 1376 to 1843. At the turn of the 19th century, the population already numbered 6,000, of whom 2,500 were Kurds, 1,900 Jews and 1,600 Assyrians. There are ruins from the Assyrian era and ruins of a synagogue and a church in the small town.

Amedi Citadel
Amedi is home to several historic sites. The Old Gate lies to the west of the Citadel and the Old Mosque is at the center of the town. The Minaret, the Dome and the Zoroastrain Gate are also worth a visit. For centuries, Amedi was the capital of the Badinan Emirate, until the end of the Ottoman Empire, and the tombs of some Emirs are still located inside the town.

Qubhan School
The Qubhan School was one of the first Islamic schools in the Kurdistan Region. The school’s ruins are situated northeast of the town, amid a tree-filled garden. The school was built in the 17th century for the study of Islamic Sciences. Many Imams and Sheikhs have studied at this school and it was open for several hundred years.

Sulav Waterfall
The well-known waterfall lies 3 km north of Amedi. Ice-cold water flows down from the mountain, into a tree-lined valley, making it a perfect place to visit in the warmer seasons.

Bere Sili Park
The park is located east of Amedi and in fall, residents of Amedi and surrounding villages gather here to celebrate Harvest festival. The park is being developed into a resort and picnic area and is an attractive site for all the family.


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