Afghanistan is a wild and dangerous exotic. This is a country that attracts with its primeval beauty, where high mountain peaks on the horizon coexist with high-mountain deserts, shimmering in the sun with countless shades of red. Here is the birthplace of Zarathustra, ancient fortresses and citadels, invaluable from a historical point of view. Unfortunately, not all of them survived during 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 here for a European foreigner than for a neighboring Pakistani. You won't be able to get to this country just like that, as 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, the traveler ended up in Afghanistan, then a slight shock from the unreal contrasts of this country awaits him. Local millionaires with guards armed to the teeth, living in houses with helipads, live 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 high peaks of the Hindu Kush and the Wakhan Range are interspersed with the purest blue lakes and rivers.
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What to see in Afghanistan?
The most interesting and beautiful places, photos and a short description.
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 6th century. They used elements of the Indian art of Gandhara. In 2001, according to the decision of the Taliban, the statues were destroyed with the wording "people should not worship idols." The whole world (including Islamic countries) strongly 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.
Blue Mosque (Mazar-i-Sharif)
A picturesque mosque in Balkh province, where Caliph Ali, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad himself, was supposedly buried. The Caliph's tomb has existed since the 12th century; the mosque was built in the 15th century. Hussein Baykara. 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 in Afghanistan.
Juma Mosque in Herat
A magnificent temple, in the creation of which the philosopher and poet Alisher Navoi took part. Due to the numerous wars of the past 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 inner courtyard can accommodate almost 5,000 believers. There is also a large cauldron of the 14th century, in which sherbet has been prepared for distribution to people on holidays for six centuries.
Id-Gakh Mosque
The largest mosque in Kabul. Here Emir Amanullah Khan in 1919 declared the independence of Afghanistan. Eid-Gakh (translated as "festive") is one of the centers of the religious life of Kabul. Large Muslim holidays are held here on a grand scale, during which thousands of Afghans come to pray to the walls and to the square in front of the mosque.
Jam minaret
Construction of the XII century. in the ancient city of Firuzuh. This invaluable architectural monument is lost in the mountains in the north-west of the country, it is very difficult to get to it due to the military situation. The 65-meter minaret is perfectly preserved, the external decoration of the walls has almost completely survived for 8 centuries. It was built during the heyday of the Gurid dynasty, which controlled a vast territory from the Bay of Bengal to the Indian city of Nishapur in the Middle Ages.
Park complex Babur's Gardens
Kabul park, where the tomb of the founder of the Mughal dynasty Babur is located. This is a series of 15 cascading terraces, designed in the typical style of Mughal architecture. The tomb of the emperor is 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 in the territory of Afghanistan. The museum has a difficult fate - in 1996, after the Taliban came to power, the collection was looted and destroyed by 70%, some of the exhibits were removed. In 2004, the restored museum was reopened to the public.
Citadel of Herat
Also known as the Citadel of Alexander, as it was built during the conquest of the area by Alexander the Great. Under the leadership of UNESCO, excavations were carried out here, and many interesting artifacts were discovered, which are presented in the collections of the citadel museum. The citadel was sieged by numerous armies in the Middle Ages.
Bala-Hissar fortress
Construction of the 5th century in the city of Kabul. Served as a hiding place for the rulers of Afghanistan for centuries. The fortress was rebuilt many times to make it more reliable. In the XIX century. during the Anglo-Afghan war, part of the buildings was destroyed by order of the British General Roberts. Now the citadel is used as a deployment site for the Afghan military.
Khyber pass
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 aisle. It is a strategic location, reinforced with firing points, military cordons and border posts.
Panjshir Gorge
Translated from the local language, it is called the Five Lions Gorge. A picturesque valley in the Panjshir province. On its territory there are convenient passes leading from the northern provinces to the southern ones. During hostilities, the gorge turns into a convenient refuge and an impregnable fortress, from where it is convenient to carry out partisan sorties.
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 to 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 list of natural heritage.
