The Abbasid Palace is one of Baghdad's oldest surviving buildings — a late 12th or early 13th-century structure from the peak of the Abbasid Caliphate, located near the Tigris in the old city quarter not far from Al-Mutanabbi Street. It is a substantial mud-brick complex with characteristic Abbasid stucco decoration: geometric patterns, arabesques, and vegetal ornament in the style that influenced Islamic architecture across the medieval world.
The palace has been used variously as a military school, a museum, and a cultural site. Its survival through the Mongol sack of 1258, the Ottoman period, the British occupation, and the turmoil of recent decades makes it an extraordinary piece of architectural continuity. Visitor access should be confirmed locally before planning a visit, as the site's public hours have varied.