So, recently I got a London LEGO architecture set for Christmas. Lovely. But as I often do, I started thinking why can’t Iraq have nice things like that. Baghdad’s history a way longer than London and it’s architecture must be great too. So I got to work...

and made a little Baghdad set ...

Back of box ...

I was going to make a linear sample of Baghdad architecture, like the London and other Architecture sets, but it just felt better to make the city around the Tigris. It’s bigger than a typical set, but it felt more like Baghdad this way.

The river and its bridges run through the set and make a nice feature. That’s obviously Kadhimiyah in the background, once a separate shrine city of its own until Baghdad grew to encompass it.

I started with Kadhimiyah. It got me going and is a nice bold piece to make it feel obviously Baghdad. I remember one night getting stuck in a helicopter shuttle that went back and forth over a fully lit-up Kadhimiyah a bunch of times. Awesome. This is the shrine in daylight.

Then I went across the river to do some Rusafa. I thought Mutanabbi Street (see the little book stalls suggested by the tiles!) and the Mutanabbi Statue (by the Tigris ferry terminal) would be fun. I have dotted buildings in most spare places to give the city its full/busy feel.

Then I went back over to Karkh to do Zawraa Park, to give it some sparkle and fun. Iraqis have a lot of nice family fun fairs. Like a lot of LEGO at this scale, it is “suggestive” of the original, but not an exact copy. The red/white rollercoaster was a must-do feature.

I did Shaab Stadium back in Rusafa, a nod to the football-mad Iraqis. It is a lovely colorful stadium, perfect for LEGO. I originally had SHAAB spelled out in stickers on the stands, as with the real stadium but this seemed to create a better overall effect

While out by Shaab, I began making the Shaheed Monument, which has to be one of the most stunning structures in Baghdad. If I was a LEGO-employed master builder, I would have lobbied for a unique teardrop-shaped piece to be cast. As it was, I made do: work in progress!

Then I got going on Tahrir Square. Again, you can only “suggest” a lively blossoming of civil society, but I tried, with all the colonies I could muster. Made a few stickers too, as LEGO kit-designers do. There’s the freedom mural.

Let’s dwell on Tahrir as I love the Tishreenis. Here’s a view from the top of the Turkish restaurant ...

And another...

And another of Tahrir / Turkish restaurant - see Rosy the Riveter! I tied to work out how to suggest the underpass but the scale was too small.

To fill up space, I hinted at the Babylon and Abu Nawas Street along the Tigris. You can build a very accurate Babylon in slightly larger scale but with this much space available, best to hint at its blocky, chunky columns. Swimming pool out front.

Crossing back over to Karkh I started in Karradat Maryam (the IZ) with the Unknown Soldier, to show some respect. My first efforts were so over complicated as to make it as tall as the tower blocks on Haifa Street. I went simple in the end.

Then I asked a few Iraqi mates if Baghdadis actually like the Crossed Swords or not. Consensus was that they are OK and they’re fun to build and globally recognizable. Plus I had some cutlasses from Pirates of the Caribbean! These LEGO hands are not modeled on LEGO Saddam’s!

I did Baghdad airport next, which I always wanted to put here in the SW to further “lock in” Baghdad’s sense of geography. I had dreams of making the three terminals with their cool geometry but I went simple ish. Control tower is half accurate & a nice sticker to suggest runway.

Then I used my remaining space in Karradat Maryam to add the Republican Palace and a few bits you can imagine are the Rashid or parliament. I wanted to do Little Venice but instead just hint. If you know Baghdad, your imagination fills in the gaps.

Which takes us back to the river - and note the Haifa Street high rises. I couldn’t get all the bridges in and I had to break the odd rule of LEGO but placing them without fixing them. Typical baghdad haze obscures Kadhimiyah up north.

So here she is again - a little Baghdad. A very peaceful and lovely Baghdad. One day we’ll see a Baghdad LEGO set. In the meantime, I want you smartass Iraqis to make a better version than this, pouring all that local love into it. And I have a follow up project or two. Peace out

Little more close-up in the box rear, per requests. Pardon if Google Translate has let me down on the French and Spanish haha

And lower part of box rear.