Editing Nebuchadnezzar II (section)

=== Building projects ===
[[File:Ishtar Gate at Berlin Museum.jpg|alt=Photograph of the restored Ishtar Gate|thumb|Babylon's [[Ishtar Gate]], [[Pergamon Museum|Pergamon Museum in Berlin]], restored and beautified in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar]]
The Babylonian king was traditionally a builder and restorer, and as such large-scale building projects were important as a legitimizing factor for Babylonian rulers.'''{{Sfn|Porter|1993|p=66}}''' Nebuchadnezzar extensively expanded and rebuilt his capital city of Babylon and the most modern historical and archaeological interpretations of the city reflect it as it appeared after Nebuchadnezzar's construction projects.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=229}} The projects were made possible through the prospering economy during Nebuchadnezzar's reign, sustained by his conquests.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=230}} His building inscriptions record work done to numerous temples, notably the restoration of the [[Esagila]], the main temple of Babylon's national deity [[Marduk]], and the completion of the [[Etemenanki]], a great [[ziggurat]] dedicated to Marduk.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=229}}
[[File:Babylon map.png|alt=City plan of Babylon|thumb|A city plan of Babylon, showing major points of interest. The outer walls and the northern Summer Palace are not shown.]]
Extensive work was also conducted on civil and military structures. Among the most impressive efforts was the work done surrounding the city's northern ceremonial entrance, the [[Ishtar Gate]]. These projects included restoration work on the South Palace, inside the city walls, the construction of a completely new North Palace, on the other side of the walls facing the gate, as well as the restoration of Babylon's Processional Street, which led through the gate, and of the gate itself.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=230}} The ruins of Nebuchadnezzar's North Palace are poorly preserved and as such its structure and appearance are not entirely understood. Nebuchadnezzar also constructed a third palace, the Summer Palace, built some distance north of the inner city walls in the northernmost corner of the outer walls.'''{{Sfn|Baker|2012|p=924}}'''

The restored Ishtar Gate was decorated with blue and yellow glazed bricks and depictions of bulls (symbols of the god [[Adad]]) and dragons (symbols of the god Marduk). Similar bricks were used for the walls surrounding the Processional Street, which also featured depictions of lions (symbols of the goddess Ishtar).{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=230}} Babylon's Processional Street, the only such street yet excavated in Mesopotamia, ran along the eastern walls of the South Palace and exited the inner city walls at the Ishtar Gate, running past the North Palace. To the south, this street went by the Etemenanki, turning to the west and going over a bridge constructed either under the reign of Nabopolassar or Nebuchadnezzar.{{Sfn|Baker|2012|p=925}}

Some of the bricks of the Processional Street bear the name of the Neo-Assyrian king [[Sennacherib]] ({{Reign}}705–681 BC) on their underside, perhaps indicating that construction of the street had begun already during his reign, but the fact that the upper side of the bricks all bear the name of Nebuchadnezzar suggests that construction of the street was completed under Nebuchadnezzar's reign.'''{{Sfn|Baker|2012|p=925}}''' Glazed bricks such as the ones used in the Procession Street were also used in the throne room of the South Palace, which was decorated with depictions of lions and tall, stylized palm trees.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=230}}

Nebuchadnezzar also directed building efforts on the city of [[Borsippa]], with several of his inscriptions recording restoration work on that city's temple, the [[Ezida]], dedicated to the god Nabu. Additionally, Nebuchadnezzar also restored the ziggurat of the Ezida, the E-urme-imin-anki, and also worked on the temple of [[Gula (goddess)|Gula]], Etila, as well as numerous other temples and shrines in the city. Nebuchadnezzar also repaired Borsippa's walls.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=|pp=230–231}}

Other great building projects by Nebuchadnezzar include the Nar-Shamash, a canal to bring water from the Euphrates close to the city of Sippar, and the [[Median Wall]], a large defensive structure built to defend Babylonia against incursions from the north.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=232}} The Median Wall was one of two walls built to protect Babylonia's northern border. Further evidence that Nebuchadnezzar believed the north to be the most likely point of attack for his enemies comes from that he fortified the walls of northern cities, such as Babylon, Borsippa and [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]], but left the walls of southern cities, such as [[Ur]] and Uruk, as they were.'''{{Sfn|Baker|2012|p=926}}''' Nebuchadnezzar also began work on the Royal Canal, also known as Nebuchadnezzar's Canal, a great canal linking the Euphrates to the Tigris which in time completely transformed the agriculture of the region, but the structure was not completed until the reign of [[Nabonidus]], who ruled as the last king of the [[Neo-Babylonian Empire]] from 556 to 539 BC.{{Sfn|Beaulieu|2018|p=232}}