I explored Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palace, perched right above the ancient ruins of Babylon. This hilltop estate is as controversial as it is grand; portions of the original site were leveled to make way for the construction. Today, you can still see the modern bricks Saddam used to ‘restore’ the ancient walls, each one stamped with his name—a 20th-century signature on a 4,000-year-old masterpiece. Visiting Iraq with bilweekend #iraq #visitiraq #katiecaftravel #babylon