In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Uruk is the city whose walls Gilgamesh rules.
Uruk is the epic’s principal urban setting and the center of Gilgamesh’s kingship. The poem’s opening praises the city’s impressive walls and invites readers to inspect its foundations. These walls symbolize both Gilgamesh’s power and the lasting public works that outlive an individual ruler.
Uruk was also a real ancient Mesopotamian city in southern Iraq. It became one of the world’s earliest large urban centers and was associated with major deities including Inanna. The historical city’s importance helps explain why it became the setting for heroic literature.
Uruk should not be confused with Ur, another major Sumerian city. The epic repeatedly returns to Uruk, making the city the community to which Gilgamesh ultimately returns after his journeys.