Rowanduz

Rawanduz (Arabic رواندوز, DMG Rawanduz ) also Rewanduz, Rawandoz, Rawandooz, Rawandiz, Ruwandiz, Rowandiz called Ruwanduz, is a city in the Iraqi province of Arbil in the autonomous region of Kurdistan. The city has 102 399 inhabitants ( 2009 calculation ) and is 914 m high. Rawanduz is on a street that Arbil and Mosul over the Garu - Schinka - pass links with the Iranian city of Mahabad.

History

Rawanduz was due to its location an important city. The Rawanduz pass through the Zagros Mountains was the finding place of the important stele Kel -i -Shin. The mountain pass was later used by the Persian king Cyrus II to conquer Babylonia. The city was at times part of the Province Shah Razor and partially owned by the Ardalan. Rawanduz was the capital of the Kurdish Emirates Soran. Meanwhile, last ruler Mohammed Pasha Rewanduz declared his independence from his Ottoman overlord. After the decline of the Emirates in 1836, the city lost its importance. During the First World War, the city lay on the route of the Ottoman and Russian troops. Rawanduz was part of the province of Mosul, which has been a bone of contention between the Ottomans and the British. By a decision of the League of Nations in 1925 Rawanduz became part of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. The mandate was later independently as the Kingdom of Iraq. Since 1970 Rawanduz is part of the Kurdistan Autonomous Region.

Before the First World War, the city had a Christian- Nestorian church. In addition, Jews lived in Rawanduz.