Bab Baghdad: “A Gateway to Culture, History, and Heritage”

Bab Baghdad: “A Gateway to Culture, History, and Heritage”

The Baghdadi Cultural Center is one of the most important cultural sites in Baghdad, Iraq, and indeed the Arab region. The center occupies the historic building of the Rashidiyah Military School, which was established in 1869 by the Ottoman governor, Midhat Pasha. It later became a hospital during the British mandate and then was transformed into civil courts in Baghdad. Afterward, it was restored by the Heritage and Antiquities Directorate to remain significant until 2011, when it was converted into a cultural center featuring halls for seminars, poetry, and history, as well as several museums. Over 30 libraries of notable figures and symbols of Baghdad have also been acquired.

Given this importance, the Nahrain Network has sought to leave a beautiful impact on the souls of Baghdad residents through its interactive research project in collaboration with the University of London and the implementation by Peta center for cultural Services in Baghdad and the Baghdad Cultural Center. The project includes excavating the building’s history for the first time by researching the Ottoman archive and relevant Iraqi institutions, as well as creating an interactive guide, which is considered a pioneering experience in Iraq. It also aims at harnessing the potential of visitor Engagement at the Baghdadi cultural center.

With the conclusion of the first phase of the project, its features began to take shape and clarity emerged, and the preliminary designs for the interactive guide were completed. It is expected to provide a new and distinctive addition to the Iraqi cultural scene in general and to Baghdad in particular, showcasing very significant aspects of history spanning over 100 years up to the present, presented in a modern format that draws from Baghdad’s heritage in both form and content.

The media team continued their diligent work in creating and producing videos that will be displayed on special screens at the Baghdad Cultural Center. They completed the first video, which features a beautiful presentation about Baghdad’s libraries and their esteemed scholars, along with a delightful and distinctive collection of photographs.

The survey team prepared several survey models for the center’s staff, attendees, cultural organizers, and event hosts, which contained information that will be utilized for the first time in evaluating and reconsidering the administrative and cultural work at the center in order to enhance the experience of the visitors and promote engaging features of different audiences.

Additionally, the designated office for the project at the center has been completed and equipped with all necessary supplies for use in periodic meetings for various teams, as well as for the storage of the project’s extensive archive, which has started to grow gradually over time.
The team’s research trip to Turkey represents a new chapter for Baghdadi and even Iraqi culture. Our eyes gazed from “Baghdad of Peace” to “Istanbul of Books,” creating a cultural bridge between the intellectual elites of Iraq and Turkey. We obtained significant photographic archives from the Presidency of Istanbul University and the rare books library, uncovering approximately 3,600 varied documents related to the Rashidi Military School, as well as documents connected to Ottoman education in Iraq, written in ancient Ottoman script, dating back over 130 years. The hands of the Bab Baghdad project were the first to access and review these documents, which will remain under study for many years.

Additionally, the private museum of the Turkish Ministry of Defense provided us with documents pertaining to the Rushidi Military School and documents related to the building from 100 years ago, which are considered the most important and oldest records in the center’s history. These included signatures from the director of the military school, Ali Saib Effendi, and names of teachers from that time.

In the war museum under the Turkish Ministry of Defense, we found the names of the Rushidi Military and preparatory schools in Baghdad displayed on informational posters, illustrating the administrative level of the military school and its connection to the military academy.

Thus, we provided significant historical material for the project that will be utilized in the interactive hall and the signaling system, as well as the final research document, which will serve as a comprehensive reference about the center. This material marks the beginning of a comprehensive transformation in the center’s future operations and will leave a lasting impact on the cultural work in Mutanabi Street, especially after the positive engagement from various parties and academics, including the almost complete electronic archive of Al-Zawraa newspaper, which extends from the 18th century to the 20th century, and several other initiatives that will be mentioned later