Northwest Palace at Kalhu

Early in his reign, Ashurnasirpal II (r. 883-859 BC) had a grand palace constructed in the northwestern quarter of the citadel of Kalḫu (modern Nimrud, biblical Calah), which was located in the southwest corner of the city. This extensive palatial complex covered an area 28,000 m² (200x130 m). The Northwest Palace, which was referred to by Sargon II (r. 721–705 BC) as the Juniper Palace (ēkal duprāni), was designed around three or four courtyards. All of the public areas were sumptuously decorated with sculpture and inscriptions. 

The southern wing of the building severed as the burial place for Assyrian queens. In 1989, four vaulted, mud-brick tombs were discovered deep under the floors of Rooms MM, 49, 56 and 57. Five Assyrian queens (identified from inscriptions written in their names), together with their most precious belongings and jewels, were buried here. In chronological order, these important women were: Mullissu-mukannišat-Ninua, wife of Ashurnasirpal and mother of Shalmaneser III (Tomb III, under Room 57); Hamaya, wife of Shalmaneser IV (Tomb III); Yabaʾ, wife of Tiglath-pileser III (Tomb II, under Room 49); Banitu, wife of Shalmaneser V (Tomb II); and Ataliya, wife of Sargon II (Tomb II).

During the reign of Esarhaddon (r. 680–669 BC), stone from the Northwest Palace, as well as from the Central Palace (of Tiglath-pileser III) and the palace of Adad-nārārī III, was removed in order to provide building material for a new palace being constructed in the southwestern corner of the citadel. Although the Assyrian royal family no longer lived in the Northwest Palace in the seventh century BC, this grand palatial complex continued to be used until the fall of the Assyrian Empire. After the Kalḫu’s destruction by the Medes in 612 BC, locals made repairs to parts of the Northwest Palace and lived in it for a significant period of time, until the once-grand palace fell into complete disrepair.

The Northwest Palace at Kalhu was targeted for intentional destruction by terrorist organizations in April 2015. ASOR's reporting documents the destruction of the site.