Is this the real Garden of Eden?

Probably the single most famous garden in the world, does the Garden of Eden actually exist?

The Garden of Eden in Iraq, some say, may just be the real Garden of Eden.

According to many scholars and theologians, the Biblical Garden of Eden, the paradise described in the Book of Genesis, Adam and Eve, all of that, may have been located in southern Iraq.

In the very region where the Iraqi marshes now lie.

Add to that the legend of Adam’s Tree… a supposed remnant of Eden itself, and you’ve got one of the most curious and perhaps historically, culturally, and religiously significant places on Earth.

Where Was the Garden of Eden?

The Book of Genesis describes Eden as a lush paradise. Fed by water by a river that split into four branches.

The Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates.

Only two of those rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates) still flow today. Both of which run through modern-day Iraq.

This is the geographical clue that leads many to believe that southern Iraq could be the true location of the Garden of Eden. Particularly around the marshes near Nasiriyah area.

Why?

Well, the marshes in Iraq are fertile. Full of birds. Fish. Flowering plants. They have been inhabited for thousands of years - by the Marsh Arabs.

In the Bible and holy texts, the area is often described as a ‘living reflection of the paradise’. Lush, watery, and full of life in an otherwise harsh desert climate.

Sound familiar?

The Garden of Eden holds major significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

In all three Abrahamic religions, it is the place where Adam and Eve, the first humans, lived. They lived in a state of innocence. That is, before Eve was tempted by the devil and ate the forbidden fruit (we’ll get to that).

In Islam, Eden is known as Jannah, and the Qur’an describes rivers flowing beneath it.

Adam’s Tree/Tree of Knowledge/Tree of Life

According to local folklore, this ancient tree is believed to be a surviving relic from the actual Garden of Eden. It is located near Al-Qurna, a small town where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers meet.

Fun fact! Al-Qurna literally means “the corner” or “junction”, referring to the meeting of the rivers.

Some say this is the very spot where Adam and Eve were created. And where they fell from grace. That fateful apple that Eve ate after being tempted, changing the course of human history forever. A sign next to the site boldly proclaims it as the place where humanity began”.

A local tale claims Adam planted the first date palm in Iraq. Today, Iraq is one of the world’s top date producers.

Almost an anti-climax when you visit, the tree itself is twisted and weathered.

It stands alone beside the riverbank.

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