Firdos Square statue destruction, Historical event in Firdos Square, Baghdad, Iraq
This event refers to the forced removal of a 12-meter bronze statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on April 9, 2003. The monument stood on a concrete pedestal in the center of a circular plaza surrounded by multi-story buildings and the Palestine Hotel.
The monument was erected in 2002 for Saddam Hussein's birthday and stood for less than one year. US forces reached Baghdad in early April 2003, and within days the regime fell with the toppling of the monument as a symbolic moment.
The square takes its name from Firdos, meaning "paradise" in Arabic, and sits in the heart of the Iraqi capital. Today locals use the open space for gatherings, while international visitors often recognize the site from its worldwide presence in news coverage.
The site is located at the junction of al-Sadoun Street and Abu Nuwas Street near the eastern bank of the Tigris. Visitors reach the area through main roads running through the city center, with the Palestine Hotel serving as a landmark.
A Marine corporal briefly placed an American flag over the face of the monument before Iraqi citizens requested it be replaced with an Iraqi flag. Television crews from around the world filmed the entire action from the nearby Palestine Hotel, which served as a media center during the conflict.
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