Northwest Palace at Kalhu

palace · 1000 BC – 2099 AD

An impressive and ornately-decorated palace constructed at Kalḫu (modern Nimrud, biblical Calah) by the ninth-century-BC Assyrian ruler Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883–859 BC), likely completed between 865 and 869 BC. This multi-winged palatial complex served as the primary residence and chief administrative center of the Assyrian Empire until Sargon II (r. 721–705 BC) moved the imperial capital to Dūr-Šarrukīn in 706 BC. The Northwest Palace, the name given to it by its excavators (since it was built in the northwestern part of Kalḫu’s citadel), remained in use until the very end of the Assyrian Empire (612 BC). The southern half of the building also functioned as the burial place of prominent royal women, including Mullissu-mukannišat-Ninua, the wife of Ashurnasirpal and the mother of Shalmaneser III.

Coordinates
36.09907, 43.32754
Also known as
Northwest Palace (en), ēkal duprāni (akk)
Dating
attested

Sources

See Northwest Palace at Kalhu on the map →