Project Created to Restore Ancient Babylon
Excavated portions of the ancient city of Babylon in 2006. (Johan Spanner/Polaris, for The New York Times)
After years of neglect, misuse and haphazard reconstruction of the ancient city of Babylon,
a master plan is being developed for the restoration of the
Mesopotamian site, in present-day Iraq. The project, called “The Future
of Babylon,” was announced in a news release by the World Monuments
Fund, which will collaborate with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and
Heritage. Babylon endured numerous restoration and reconstruction
projects during the reign of Saddam Hussein; it was heavily plundered after his fall, and used as the site of an American military base.
The “Future of Babylon” project, financed by a $700,000 grant from the
State Department, will map the city’s archeological sites, develop
conservation plans and pursue possibilities for tourism and education.
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