Karbala

Also known as Kerbela

Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is one of the main political, spiritual and cultural hubs of Shi'a Islam.

AI overview

Karbala is a major city in central Iraq with a population of about 691,100 people, making it the second largest city in the region after Baghdad. It holds deep significance as one of the primary spiritual, political, and cultural centers of Shi'a Islam.

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Place details

Locality: كربلاء
Region: محافظة كربلاء
Country: العراق
Population: 1,218,732
Timezone

Travel guide

Understand

Karbala is one of the holiest cities in Shi'a Islam. In the Battle of Karbala, the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Husayn was slain. To pay respects to the martyr Husayn, Shi'a Muslims visit the Imam Husayn Shrine, the biggest tourist attraction in Karbala, every year during a pilgrimage called Arbaeen.

Get in

Most travelers enter the city by bus or by car as the city does not yet have a functioning airport. Due to its religious importance, cities all across Iraq has regular bus services. The entrance to the city is well protected and check points are working hard on every single car that gets into the city. There are one or two trains each week from Baghdad and Basra. Extra trains are available on special occasions.

The Downtown Area is closed off and the entry of vehicles into the area of 1.5 km around the holy shrines is forbidden except for security, the shrines' personnel and residents. Anyone else who wants to get in must put their car in a parking and get in either via the holy shrine buses or on foot.

See

There are also a lot of religious places around the Holy Shrines of Imam Hussen and Abu Al-fadhl Al-Abbas.

Do

Visit the Imam Husayn & Abbas shrine.

Buy

You can buy khak-e-shifa. Some Shi'a Muslims consider it sacred and miraculous, and claim diseases can be treated with it.

Eat

The restaurants are spread all around the city, especially downtown, and you can find whatever you desire of halal food at suitable prices.

Stay safe

See the warning on the Iraq article for information about the security situation.

Go next

Najaf, another holy city in Iraq, with the Shrine of 'Ali.

Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)

~18 min read

Article

28 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Religious significance
Battle of Karbala
Early modern
Modern history
Geography
Climate
Economy
Culture
Religious tourism
Sports
Education
Universities
Hawza Seminary
Infrastructure
Airports
Inter-city high-speed railway system
International relations
Sister cities
See also
Explanatory notes
References
Further reading
Published in the 19th century
Published in the 20th century
Published in the 21st century
External links

The city, best known as the location of the battle of Karbala in 680 AD between Husayn ibn Ali and his band of several dozen followers, including some armed women, and several thousand soldiers led by General Umar ibn Sa'd on behalf of Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, the local governor who was acting on the orders of Yazid ibn Mu'awiya. Soon, Karbala emerged as an important center of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims across the world. After the fall of Baghdad in 1258, Karbala came under the control of the Mongolian Empire led by Hulegu Khan. The city continued to be under multiple successive empires. Karbala enjoyed the status of semi-autonomy after the First Saudi State invasion. In 1843, Karbala was besieged by Ottoman troops. In 1915, Karbala was site of an uprising, which drove the Ottomans out of the city.