Slemani

The second largest town within the Kurdish autonomous area in northern Iraq is Slemani, or Sulaymaniya. It is a city of a bit less than 700,000 inhabitants, yet the estimations have to be cemented in a census which is to take place towards the end of 2010 according to latest sources.

Slemani is surprisingly green for a Kurdish city and in many aspects reminds of the smaller northern city of Dohuk. Its position in a huge, oval shaped valley with mountains around it make it a very nice place to see from above. You can drive up on several mountains, yet the best views can be caught from the northern mountain ranges. From up there you will also see snow capped mountains in the distance, some of which are already in Iran.

Kurdish history is full of drama, and it is undisputed that under Saddam Hussein's oppressive regime, thousands of Kurdish villages were eradicated, chemical and biological weapons were used by the Iraqi army against the own population, and torture was widespread. Going to the 'Red Security' building, or 'amna soora' will give you an insight into this darkest chapter of Kurdish history. Another important sight is the local museum where local and regional artefacts can be seen.

Slemani is a colourful city where many of the houses are painted in vivid colours. If you go to Sarchinar Hill for example you will see thousands of houses in all colours under the rainbow. Definitely a nice sight.

The city is growing at a very fast pace, new highways and ringroads are being built, and new commercial districts and government buildings are literally popping up like mushrooms. The city has a relatively European vibe and is known to be the most open-minded place in the Kurdish autonomous area. Yet there is no proper party, bar and restaurant scene some international travellers would hope for. However this is only a question on time. There are already some hotels with excellent standard in town.

Slemani has an international airport with limited number of flights so far, but the number of connections is growing since 2009. Major refurbishment is going on since 2010. The airport code is ISU. Travel time by car from Erbil is approximately 3 hours. There are flights with Iraqi Airways between Slemani and Erbil, yet the company does not have a very positive record in terms of reliability.