Samarra

Ancient town in Iraq, on the River Tigris, 105 km/65 mi northwest of Baghdad; population (1998 est) 126,500. Founded in 836 by the Abbasid caliph Motassim, it was the Abbasid capital until 892 and is a place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims. It is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world, and includes over 6,000 separate sites. The best preserved palace is Qasr al-Ashiq, which was built entirely of brick between 878 and 882.