World First City: Do you know which was the first city in the world? This question must have crossed your mind before as you search ancient sites, lost or forgotten civilisations, or human origins. The answer directly leads to a place in Southern Iraq where urban life began. It is the place where humans established their communities, where monumental structures were built from the desert sand for the first time, according to reports.
Which was the first city in the world?
Located in Southern Iraq’s Al-Muthanna Governorate province, travelers and tourists who visit Uruk feel this place is unusually different and powerful. The ruins at the site may shock you as you stand where civilisation first took its organised step. Uruk was founded in 4500 BCE and today has a population of around 50,000, reports added.
Why is it known as the first city?
Unlike reconstructed historic sites, Uruk remains real, untouched, original, and grounded in the very soil where humans built their first urban centre. It is known as the first city, as it introduced structures and systems that are found in every city today. Cuneiform writing reportedly developed here to record daily transactions, livestock, and grain. Monumental structures such as large temples rose above the settlement first.
Story of Uruk
Uruk’s legacy lives through the Epic of Gilgamesh, regarded as one of the world’s oldest surviving stories. The poem describes how Gilgamesh, the half-mythical hero king in Uruk, set out on a quest. He built great city walls, which were made out of burnt bricks and surrounded by palm groves.
How does it look today?
Thousands of years later, today, Uruk has been transformed into the archaeological site of Warka. You will find scattered ruins, crumbling walls, and religious monumental remains here if you visit now. The site is now abandoned, but travelers and tourists find it surprisingly calm. With a registered tour operator, visiting Uruk is safe.
