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Being a tourist in a Sumerian city
The arrival in a Sumerian city is not always charming: harbours and caravan stations are not the most beautiful places in town! But once you have passed them, you are stunned by the impressive brand-new monuments, amazed by the width of some streets and the well-managed organisation of some districts. There are many wells for drinking water, more and more trees in some areas, even gardens. In the largest cities, transport between districts is also well-organised.
Huge, new buildings
The streets
Palaces...
Museums
City walls
I will walk on Uruk walls like Gilgameš
Get the Essential Guide today!
Downsides of Sumerian cities
The city of Uruk
Downsides of Sumerian cities
Of course, Sumerian towns are far from being perfect… but is your own city perfect?! The main issue is crowding and all the inconveniences that go with it. Sumerian cities are (very) densely populated. In many quarters, houses are small, streets are narrow. Not all houses have a bathroom for instance, and water resources can become a real issue in such a warm country. As a result, diseases are real problems in Sumerian cities. But on the other hand, the temple of Gula is never too far away, which is reassuring for the inhabitants.
Museums
Museums are new in Sumer, but you find some in all cities nowadays. They tell you a lot about Sumerian history, traditions, and great achievements. They also house the most beautiful objects.
Some of them are well organised and offer simple explanations of complex situations. Some also suggest activities for children.
Visit Nippur!
Visit Ur!
On the city walls
You can get up a tower in Lagaš, from where the view of the city and the seashore is grandiose. You can also have a walk on the eastern section of the wall in Nippur, to get a general overview on the Ekur, Enlil’s temple. There is an entertaining and informative guided tour of Uruk’s wall, the first ever built according to the tradition, by Gilgameš himself.
The streets
Cities are densely built, but some main streets are large (up to ten meters wide in Lagaš). While some districts are organised in a regular way, others are more like mazes, with narrow, tortuous streets and many dead ends. Once you have entered those districts, all landmarks seem to disappear, including the ziqqurrat!
Being a tourist in a Sumerian city
Marie Besnier
Created on March 16, 2026
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Transcript
Explore the page to find more information!
Being a tourist in a Sumerian city
The arrival in a Sumerian city is not always charming: harbours and caravan stations are not the most beautiful places in town! But once you have passed them, you are stunned by the impressive brand-new monuments, amazed by the width of some streets and the well-managed organisation of some districts. There are many wells for drinking water, more and more trees in some areas, even gardens. In the largest cities, transport between districts is also well-organised.
Huge, new buildings
The streets
Palaces...
Museums
City walls
I will walk on Uruk walls like Gilgameš
Get the Essential Guide today!
Downsides of Sumerian cities
The city of Uruk
Downsides of Sumerian cities
Of course, Sumerian towns are far from being perfect… but is your own city perfect?! The main issue is crowding and all the inconveniences that go with it. Sumerian cities are (very) densely populated. In many quarters, houses are small, streets are narrow. Not all houses have a bathroom for instance, and water resources can become a real issue in such a warm country. As a result, diseases are real problems in Sumerian cities. But on the other hand, the temple of Gula is never too far away, which is reassuring for the inhabitants.
Museums
Museums are new in Sumer, but you find some in all cities nowadays. They tell you a lot about Sumerian history, traditions, and great achievements. They also house the most beautiful objects.
Some of them are well organised and offer simple explanations of complex situations. Some also suggest activities for children.
Visit Nippur!
Visit Ur!
On the city walls
You can get up a tower in Lagaš, from where the view of the city and the seashore is grandiose. You can also have a walk on the eastern section of the wall in Nippur, to get a general overview on the Ekur, Enlil’s temple. There is an entertaining and informative guided tour of Uruk’s wall, the first ever built according to the tradition, by Gilgameš himself.
The streets
Cities are densely built, but some main streets are large (up to ten meters wide in Lagaš). While some districts are organised in a regular way, others are more like mazes, with narrow, tortuous streets and many dead ends. Once you have entered those districts, all landmarks seem to disappear, including the ziqqurrat!