Shaqlawa (Şeqlawe): A Kurdish Mountain Resort
- Jamal Latif
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
Introduction
Shaqlawa (Kurdish: Şeqlawe) is a Kurdish mountain town in the north-east of Erbil Governorate, in Iraqi Kurdistan, nestled in a green valley between the great ridges of Safeen and Korek. Long beloved as a summer retreat, it is one of the most popular resort towns in the Kurdistan Region — a cool, orchard-filled escape from the heat of the plains.
Behind its reputation as a holiday town lies an old and mixed history of Kurds and Christians living side by side beneath the mountains. This profile looks at Shaqlawa’s setting, its heritage, and its place in Kurdish life.
Key Takeaways
• Shaqlawa (Kurdish: Şeqlawe) is a Kurdish mountain town in Erbil Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan.
• It sits in a green valley between Safeen and Korek mountains, north-east of Erbil.
• It is one of the most popular summer resort towns in the Kurdistan Region.
• Shaqlawa has a long history of Kurds and Christians living together, with old churches and shrines.
• It is known for its cool climate, orchards, springs, and vineyards.
Quick Facts
Name (Kurdish): Şeqlawe
Country / Region: Iraq (Bashur / Kurdistan Region)
Governorate: Erbil
Setting: A valley between Safeen and Korek mountains
Known For: Summer resort, orchards, and springs
Communities: Kurds and Christians
Elevation: A cool highland town
Population: around 40,000
Contents
Where Is Shaqlawa?
Shaqlawa lies about an hour’s drive north-east of Erbil, set in a fertile valley in the mountains on the way toward Rawandiz and the high country beyond. Hemmed in by the long wall of Safeen mountain on one side and the peak of Korek on the other, it enjoys a cool, green climate quite unlike the hot lowlands around the Kurdish capital.
That setting — mountains, springs, and orchards within easy reach of Erbil — is the key to everything Shaqlawa is known for.
A Mountain Resort
Shaqlawa is famous above all as a resort. For generations, families from Erbil and across Iraq have come here in the summer to escape the heat, strolling its orchard-lined streets, drinking from its cold springs, and buying its fruit, honey, and sweets. Its restaurants, gardens, and cool air have made it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Kurdistan Region, busy with visitors throughout the warm months.
Kurds and Christians
Beyond the holiday atmosphere, Shaqlawa is an old town with a notably mixed heritage. Kurds and Christians — Assyrians and Chaldeans — have long lived here together, and the town preserves old churches and shrines alongside its mosques. This tradition of coexistence, common to several towns of the Kurdish mountains, gives Shaqlawa a gentler, layered character and ties it to the long Christian presence in the region.
Beneath Safeen and Korek
The mountains that frame Shaqlawa are part of its identity. Safeen mountain rises like a wall above the town, while nearby Korek — now reached by a cable car — has become a year-round attraction, drawing visitors to its heights in both summer and snow. These peaks, and the dramatic gorges and waterfalls of the wider area, make Shaqlawa a gateway to some of the most beautiful scenery in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Shaqlawa Today
Today Shaqlawa remains a thriving Kurdish resort town, busier than ever as tourism grows in the Kurdistan Region. Yet it keeps its old soul — its orchards, its springs, its churches and mosques, and its easy mingling of communities — a green and welcoming town beneath the mountains that has long offered rest and refuge in the heart of Kurdistan.
Timeline
older history — Shaqlawa grows as a mixed Kurdish and Christian town in the mountains.
20th c. — It becomes a favourite summer resort for people from Erbil and beyond.
1991 onward — Under Kurdish self-rule, Shaqlawa develops further as a tourist town.
recent years — A cable car to Korek mountain adds a major year-round attraction.
today — Shaqlawa is one of the most popular resort towns in the Kurdistan Region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Shaqlawa’s Kurdish name?
In Kurdish the town is called Şeqlawe.
Why is Shaqlawa famous?
Shaqlawa is famous as a cool mountain resort town in Iraqi Kurdistan, popular for its orchards, springs, and scenery, and as a summer escape from the heat of the plains.
Where is Shaqlawa?
Shaqlawa (Şeqlawe) is in Erbil Governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, about an hour north-east of Erbil, in a valley between Safeen and Korek mountains.
Who lives in Shaqlawa?
Shaqlawa is a Kurdish town with a long-standing mixed population of Kurds and Christians, including Assyrians and Chaldeans.
Related People, Places, and Topics
Safeen mountain · Korek mountain · Kurdish-Christian heritage · Erbil · Rawandiz · Bashur (Iraqi Kurdistan).
References and Further Reading
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