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    Tourist Attractions in Afghanistan

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Afghanistan. Photos and a brief description.

    About Afghanistan

    Afghanistan is a wild and dangerous exotic. This is a country that attracts with its primeval beauty, where high mountain peaks on the horizon side by side with high-altitude deserts, shimmering in the sun with countless shades of red. Here is the birthplace of Zarathustra, ancient fortresses and citadels, priceless from a historical point of view. Unfortunately, not all of them have survived the 30 years of the civil war, as a result of which many cities and villages lie in ruins.

    Only the most desperate go to Afghanistan. This is reckless and unsafe, although there are fewer dangers for a European foreigner here than for a representative of neighboring Pakistan. It will not be possible to get into this country just like that, since a visa is required. Moreover, there is no such thing as a “tourist visa”. People go there on business, on business trips or as members of humanitarian missions.

    If by the will of fate a traveler finds himself in Afghanistan, then he will be slightly shocked by the unreal contrasts of this country. Local millionaires with heavily armed guards, living in houses with helicopter pads, side by side with people who huddle in dugouts with whole families. Kabul hotels with machine guns mounted on the roofs stand next to guest houses, where the traveler is invited to sleep in a common room in a sleeping bag. The tall peaks of the Hindu Kush and The Vakhan ridge is interspersed with the purest blue lakes and rivers.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Afghanistan

    Bamiyan Buddha Statues

    Giant images of the deity 37 m. and 55 m. in length, located in the Bamiyan Valley. These statues were erected around the VI century . They used elements of the Indian art of Gandhara. In 2001, by the decision of the Taliban, the statues were destroyed with the wording "people should not worship idols." The whole world (including Islamic countries) sharply condemned the destruction. Unfortunately, UNESCO does not plan to restore the statues due to the high cost of the project and due to the fact that the new statues will still not have the same historical meaning as the original buildings.

    Bamiyan Buddha Statues
    Blue Mosque (Mazar-I-Sharif)

    Blue Mosque (Mazar-I-Sharif)

    A picturesque mosque in Balkh province, where Caliph Ali, the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad himself, was supposedly buried. The tomb of the Caliph has existed since the XII century, the mosque was built in the XV century. Hussein Baykaroy. She received the prefix "blue" due to the large number of turquoise tiles covering the walls and domes. The mosque is the best preserved ancient monument of Afghanistan.

    Juma Mosque in Herat

    A magnificent temple, in the creation of which the philosopher and poet took part Alisher Navoi. Due to the numerous wars of the last 30 years, the mosque was completely destroyed, but at the moment it has been restored. The restored and restored building is covered with rich paintings, the courtyard accommodates almost 5,000 believers. There is also a large cauldron of the XIV century, in which sherbet has been prepared for distribution to people for holidays for six centuries.

    Juma Mosque in Herat
    Id-Gah Mosque

    Id-Gah Mosque

    The largest mosque in Kabul. Here Emir Amanullah Khan declared the independence of Afghanistan in 1919. Eid-Gah (translated as "festive") is one of the centers of religious life in Kabul. Big Muslim holidays are held here on a grand scale, during which thousands of Afghans come to pray at the walls and on the square in front of the mosque.

    Jam Minaret

    Construction of the XII century . in the ancient city of Firuzukh. This priceless architectural monument is lost in the mountains in the north-west of the country, it is very difficult to get to it because of the military situation. The 65-meter minaret is perfectly preserved, the exterior wall decoration has almost completely survived for 8 centuries. It was built during the heyday of the dynasty The Gurids, who controlled in the Middle Ages a huge territory from the Bay of Bengal to the Indian city of Nishapur.

    Jam Minaret
    Babur Gardens Park Complex

    Babur Gardens Park Complex

    Kabul Park, where the tomb of the founder of the Mughal dynasty is located Babur. This is a series of 15 cascading terraces, made in the typical style of Mughal architecture. The Emperor's grave is located in the middle of the park. During the Civil War, most of the buildings were destroyed and the trees were cut down, but in 2011 the park was completely restored.

    Kabul Museum

    A collection of ancient artifacts of various cultures that existed at different times on the territory of Afghanistan. The museum has a difficult fate – in 1996, after the Taliban came to power, the collection was 70% looted and destroyed, some exhibits were removed. In 2004, the renovated museum reopened to the public.

    Kabul Museum
    Citadel of Herat

    Citadel of Herat

    It is also known as the Citadel of Alexander, as it was built during the conquest of this area by Alexander the Great. Excavations were carried out here under the leadership of UNESCO, and many interesting artifacts were discovered, which are represented in the collections of the citadel museum. The citadel experienced the sieges of numerous armies in the Middle Ages.

    Bala-Hissar Fortress

    A 5th-century building in the city of Kabul. It served as a shelter for the rulers of Afghanistan for many centuries. The fortress was rebuilt many times to make it more reliable. In the XIX century . during the Anglo-Afghan war, some of the buildings were destroyed by order of an English general Roberts. Now the citadel is used as a place of deployment of the Afghan military.

    Bala-Hissar Fortress
    Khyber Pass

    Khyber Pass

    A mountain pass on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. A beautiful mountain road 53 km long, which is an alternation of deep and narrow gorges. The railway and the Kabul-Peshawar highway are laid along the passage. This is a strategic location, reinforced with firing points, military cordons and posts to protect the border.

    Panjshir Gorge

    Translated from the local language, the gorge of the Five Lions is called. Picturesque valley in the province Panjshir. On its territory there are convenient passes leading from the northern provinces to the southern ones. During military operations, the gorge turns into a convenient shelter and an impregnable fortress, from where it is convenient to carry out guerrilla sorties.

    Panjshir Gorge
    Blue Lakes Bande-Amir

    Blue Lakes Bande-Amir

    A network of reservoirs in the heart of Afghanistan. The lakes are surrounded by mountains and steppes. The piercing color of the water from blue to deep blue looks very picturesque in contrast with the white and pink limestone of the surrounding rocks. Bande Amir is included in the list of the most beautiful colored lakes in the world and in the UNESCO Natural Heritage List.