In Sumerian mythology, Uruk was the principal cult center of the goddess Inanna.
Uruk was one of the most important cities of ancient Mesopotamia and is frequently connected with Inanna in both religious texts and archaeology. The city’s major sacred precinct included the Eanna district, a complex associated with Inanna and her worship. Uruk therefore played a central role in stories about the goddess’s power, temples, and divine authority.
The city is also crucial to the Epic of Gilgamesh, where Gilgamesh is its king. This creates an important link between Sumerian religious tradition and the later heroic epic. Inanna’s temple institutions at Uruk were part of a wider system in which cities were closely identified with their patron deities.
Uruk should not be confused with Ur, another major Sumerian city associated especially with the moon god Nanna. Eridu was strongly connected with Enki, while Nippur was a major center of Enlil.