Primary sourceArtifactc. 604–562 BCE

Processional Way of Babylon

Neo-Babylonian builders under Nebuchadnezzar II · c. 604–562 BCE

A ceremonial street through Babylon lined with glazed lion reliefs, rebuilt by Nebuchadnezzar for the New Year festival of Marduk.

Nebuchadnezzar commissioned this ceremonial street and its decoration as part of his rebuilding of Babylon.

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Close-up of glazed blue bricks with white and orange-gold rosette flower designs, arranged in rows. Cracks and weathering are visible across the glaze surface. — Glazed bricks from the Processional Way of Babylon, reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, 605–562 BCE. Pergamon Museum, Berlin.

About this source

What it is

The Processional Way was a ceremonial street in ancient Babylon, rebuilt by Neo-Babylonian builders under Nebuchadnezzar II around 604–562 BCE. It formed part of a larger design that included the royal palace, temples, an inner fortress, walls, gardens, and gates. Glazed lion relief panels from the street survive in the Pergamon Museum, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum, and elsewhere.

Why it matters

The street was used for the New Year festival honouring the god Marduk, and its decoration of striding lions staged a display of both royal and divine power. The way Nebuchadnezzar rebuilt and decorated this route shows how architecture could be used to impress subjects and visitors with the strength of the king and his gods.

Look closer

Why line a processional route with images of lions rather than other animals?
What might the experience of walking this street have felt like for someone in ancient Babylon?
What does rebuilding on this scale tell you about the resources a king like Nebuchadnezzar could command?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Nebuchadnezzar II on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.