Shaqlawa

Shaqlawa is a historic city and a Hill station in the Erbil Governorate in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Shaqlawa, a city of approximately 25,000 people, lies 51 km to the northeast of Erbil, at the bottom of Safeen Mountain. Shaqlawa is situated between Safeen Mountain and Sork Mountain, and sits 1066 m above sea level. The town is inhabited mostly by Kurds, with a small Assyrian minority. Shaqlawa has a very large quantity of waterfalls, trees, and a great growing of greenery. The town lies at the foot of Mountain Safeen, which is covered by vast and dense forests, in a fertile and vast valley 50 km north of the Governorate of Erbil.

To the east and north is the Sorek mountain. Shaqlawa's citizens are Muslims and Christians, where both have been living together for more than a decade. Shaqlawa is mostly known for the grave of St. Boya, on the top of Shaqlawa's mountain. Assyrians from several Kurdish regions visit St. Boya's grave and enjoy Shaqlawa's beautiful weather. Established in 1965, Virgin Mary Church is an Assyrian church in the city. Shaqlawa attracts the tourists due to its nature.