Religious architecture and its impact on building cultural identity in ancient Iraq

Abstract

Religious architecture is one of the intellectual inventions of the ancient Iraqi people of great importance, as it contributed effectively to shaping the cultural identity in an environment characterized by its difficulty and harsh condi tions, as architecture in general and religious architecture in particular were subject to environmental influences, whether natural or cultural, but it remains a witness to the religious spiritual values and beliefs that prevailed in ancient Iraq. Therefore, the environment of Iraq produced religious buildings that confirmed the progress and maturity of the religious and cultural awareness of society in ancient Iraqi civilization in terms of choosing buildings, their authentic engineering designs, and their functional symbols. These buildings were the first pillar that represented a mature, integrated society.