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- Capital of ancient Babylonia, on the
- bank of the lower Euphrates River. The site
- is now in Iraq, 88 km/55 mi S of Baghdad and
- 8 km/5 mi N of Hilla, which is built chiefly
- of bricks from the ruins of Babylon. In
- 1986-89 president Saddam Hessein constructed
- a replica of the Southern Palace and citadel
- of Nebuchadnezzar II, on the plans of the
- German archaeologist Robert Koldeway. The
- hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the seven
- wonders of the world, were probably erected
- on a vaulted stone base, the only stone
- construction in the mud-brick city. They
- formed a series of terraces, irrigated by a
- hydraulic system.
-