On a low hill overlooking the ancient site, Saddam Hussein built one of his many palaces — a vast, columned villa in a vaguely Mesopotamian style, with murals showing himself in the company of Nebuchadnezzar. It was part of a larger project to identify the Ba'athist regime with the glories of ancient Babylon, and the king's name appears on inscriptions all over the rebuilt ruins below.
The palace itself is open to visitors when security permits — though the gold-leaf ceilings have been stripped, the marble cracked, and graffiti now covers many of the walls. From the upper terrace there is a fine view down onto the southern palace, the Euphrates loop and the modern town of Al Hillah beyond.