The Tourist Importance of the Signs of the Christian Religion in Ain al-Tamr District

Abstract

Iraq's historical monuments are among the biggest drivers of cultural tourism, and there is an urgent need to plan their preservation and display them to tourists in a way consistent with their cultural importance. Karbala is considered one of the first settlement centres in the Middle Euphrates region because it is one of the cities close to the ancient city of Babylon and the crossroads of the main land routes. Karbala Governorate includes hundreds of heritages and archaeological sites dating back to ancient times, different civilizations, and multiple peoples: Sumerian, Babylonian, Persian, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish, in addition to geological monuments such as the Al-Tar Caves, which are estimated to be four thousand years old, and are located high above ground level. Ain al-Tamr district is one of the districts of the Holy Karbala Governorate, which dates back to 1000 years BC and includes many historical and archaeological sites of spiritual and historical importance. It is also a witness to the successive civilisations in Iraq. The research aimed to introduce the most prominent Christian religious monuments in the Ain al-Tamr district and to identify opportunities to stimulate cultural tourism there, including archaeological tourism. The research concluded that there is a need for media and propaganda promotion to introduce the archaeological sites in this district. They are encouraging people to learn about other religions and beliefs.  Paying attention to the churches in the Ain al-Tamr district in particular, as they are considered among the oldest Christian monuments in Iraq, and completing excavations for the rest of the sites and providing services that encourage citizens to visit such monuments in their homeland, and working to protect them from extinction and vandalism and reduce the effects of climate change.