Category: Afghanistan

Kabul, city, capital of the province of Kabul and of Afghanistan. The largest urban centre in the country and also its political and economic hub, the city forms one of several districts of Kabul province. It lies at the intersection of roads that lead to Uzbekistan (via Mazār-e Sharīf) to the north, Pakistan (via Jalālābād) to the east, and Kandahār to the south. A settlement has existed at or near Kabul for some 3,500 years, but it was not until the early 20th century that the city extended north of the Kabul River. This growth continued through the 1980s, when villagers from areas affected by the Afghan War (1978–92) migrated to the relative safety of Kabul. Fighting between factions who occupied the city in 1992 resulted in significant damage and displacement of the urban population. The city has witnessed unprecedented growth since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2001 in response to the September 11 attacks.

Kabul, city, capital of the province of Kabul and of Afghanistan. The largest urban centre in the country and also its political and economic hub, the city forms one of several districts of Kabul province. It lies at the intersection of roads that lead to Uzbekistan (via Mazār-e Sharīf) to the north, Pakistan (via Jalālābād) to the east, and Kandahār to the south. A settlement has existed at or near Kabul for some 3,500 years, but it was not until the early 20th century that the city extended north of the Kabul River.

The city of Herat, which is currently the regional capital of western Afghanistan, has long been of strategic, commercial and cultural significance to the wider region. Although the city has developed extensively in modern times, and has suffered the ravages of conflict, the site is unique in that it has largely retained its historical footprint, and many significant Islamic monuments have survived.

The contemporary city of Herat is thought to have been established in around 500 BC as the ancient Persian town of Artacoana or Aria, in the fertile plain beside the Hari Rud river. Captured by Alexander the Great in 330 BC during his war against the Achaemenids, the town was developed and a citadel built. The site retained its strategic importance, and was an important asset for the Seleucids, Parthians and Hephthalites, before becoming the western bastion of the Abbasid caliphate at the end of the 8th century AD. By the time of its capture by the Ghorids in 1175 AD, Herat had become renowned for the production of metalwork, especially decorated or inlaid bronze. After destruction at the hands of both the Mongols and Genghis Khan, Herat saw something of a renaissance in the late 14th century AD, under the rule of the son of Timur, Shah Rukh, who began an extensive programme of building. This was followed by extensive development ordered by Queen Gawharshad during the 15th century AD, which resulted in a remarkable and unique ensemble of monuments in the Timurid style.