Tikrit is not a city that sees tourists, and it is worth being honest about that. The city suffered serious damage during the conflict with ISIS between 2014 and 2015, and while it has been retaken and partially rebuilt, the security environment remains unstable and infrastructure is limited. Those who do come — usually journalists, aid workers, or researchers — find a city with a layered history stretching back through Abbasid, Islamic, and ancient Mesopotamian periods, sitting on a dramatic bend of the Tigris. The citadel, the riverfront, and a handful of old religious buildings are the main points of historical interest.