Timthal Baghdad, Bronze and stone monument in Baghdad, Iraq
Timthal Baghdad is a bronze sculpture mounted on a stone column in the center of Baghdad, depicting a woman in Abbasid-era dress at a total height of around 44 feet (13.5 meters). The figure sits upright on the column, with Arabic inscriptions carved into the stone running along its surface.
The sculpture was designed by Mohammed Ghani Hikmat in 2010, commissioned by the Mayor of Baghdad as one of four public artworks meant to return public sculpture to the city's streets. It arrived at a time when Baghdad was restoring its public spaces after years of conflict.
The inscriptions on the column feature verses from a poem by Mustafa Jamal al-Din celebrating Baghdad's beauty and morning light. These words connect the figure to the city's literary heritage.
The monument stands in central Baghdad and can be reached on foot from the main nearby streets, where it is clearly visible from a distance. No entry is required to view it, and visitors can approach the column closely to read the inscriptions.
The inscriptions carved into the column come from a poem by Iraqi poet Mustafa Jamal al-Din, written in praise of Baghdad's morning light. This pairing of a visual artwork with a specific literary text is rare among public monuments in the city.
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