In Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, the historic house on the banks of the Tigris River where British crime novelist Agatha Christie lived for many years is now in dire need of restoration.
A warning sign reading "Caution! Risk of collapse" is visible on the walls of the historic house in the Karradat Maryam district of the capital. Despite being at risk of destruction, the house – which contains memories of Agatha Christie's time in Baghdad – continues to bear witness to the region’s history.
Iraqi historian Adil Ardavi told Anadolu Agency (AA): “Agatha Christie lived in Iraq for about 13 years. Many of the artifacts discovered by her husband, an expert in antiquities, are now displayed in museums. Christie was an ambitious woman who also traveled to neighboring countries from Iraq.”
Ardavi explained that when Christie chose to live in Baghdad, she selected a house by the Tigris River, a building that symbolizes the architecture of old Baghdadi homes. He believes the river view inspired Christie in her writing.
He added that before Christie, it is rumored that the same house was once home to Ali, the brother of Iraq's King Faisal I. Ardavi continued: "Agatha Christie has written many pieces and novels about Baghdad. The city even appears in her novel 'Murder on the Orient Express.' At that time, there was a train in Baghdad that could take people all the way to Türkiye and Europe. Since Christie lived in Baghdad for a long time, she came to love the Iraqi people and became a friend of Iraq."
Ardavi pointed out that the house Christie lived in is now in a dilapidated condition and added that if cooperation is established between the British Embassy in Baghdad and Iraqi authorities, the house could be turned into a museum.
Hamza Abu Salih, a bookseller on Mutanabbi Street – known as "Book Sellers' Street" in Baghdad – said that Agatha Christie was in Iraq in the 1930s.
Abu Salih noted that Iraqis have a strong interest in Christie's novels and said the British crime writer's books are always among the most sought-after titles.
