Kabul

Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan it is situated high in the mountains before the Khyber Pass. Kabul is linked with the Tajikistan border via a tunnel under the Hindu Kush Mountains. It has been the center of war for many a decades hence the infrastructure has taken a beating.

Abdur Rahman Mausoleum

The 'Iron Amir' of Afghanistan is buried in Zarnegar Park near Pashtunistan Square. The mausoleum has fabulous Moghul architecture. The building was built by Abdur Rahman as a palace, but was converted to a mausoleum by his son Habibullah. The mausoleum is currently under restoration.

Bala Hissar and Kabul City Walls

Bala Hissar dates back to the White Huns in the 5th Century. The fortress was partially destroyed by General Roberts in 1879. Bala Hissar was restored under Abdur Rahman and is now occupied by the Afghan National Army. Entry is forbidden. Kabul's old city walls snake along the hills on the south side of the Kabul river, although exploration is discouraged due to the high risk from landmines.

Pul-e Khishti Mosque

Pul-e Khishti Mosque is situated in the centre of old Kabul, the Pul-e Khishti Mosque was originally erected in the late 18th Century, but largely rebuilt under Zahir Shah in the late 1960s. Its can be picked out by its large blue dome but is otherwise architecturally indistinct.

Id Gah Mosque

The mosque was constructed during the reign of Abdur Rahman, Id Gah Mosque is in some disrepair, the Id Gah ('Prayer Ground') is the focus of for national and religious celebrations. The Id Gah Mosque is close to the National Stadium, and the area outside its large enclosure is commonly used as a lorry park for trucks transporting goods to and from Peshawar.

Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque

Shah-Do-Shamshira Mosque was built in the 1920s, it is a two-storied structure in yellow, decorated with Italianate stucco. The mosque sits on the north bank of the Kabul River facing the Mausoleum of Timur Shah.

Mausoleum of Timur Shah

Timur moved the capital from Kandahar to Kabul. His mausoleum was built in 1816 and it is an octagonal red brick structure, surmounted by a plain brick drum and shallow dome. A small park surrounds the mausoleum, now denuded of its trees and the site of a cloth market. The mausoleum was damaged during the civil war.

Babur's Gardens

Babur was the founder of the Moghul Empire. Babur's Gardens was constructed in a classical Moghul-style, although the garden was much damaged during the factional fighting in south-west Kabul in the mid 1990s. Babur’s tomb lies beneath a small marble gravestone dedicated by the Moghul emperor Jahangir. His wife and daughter are buried on the terrace above. The gardens are currently being restored, and are well worth a visit. The top of the terrace gives great views west of Kabul.

Kabul Zoo

Kabul Zoo provides popular recreation for Kabul's citizens. The animal exhibits are few - two lions recently donated by China, a bear, and a collection bored-looking macaques, wolves, deer and birds of prey. Most bizarre are the large cages of rabbits. The zoo is on the edge of west Kabul.

Chicken Street

Chicken Street has long been a focus for Kabul's tourists, it was the hippy hang-out in the 1960s. The street is lined with handicrafts shops, selling everything lapis lazuli and carpets to Herati glass and Uzbek embroidery. The eastern end of Chicken Street turns in to Flower Street, with many pastry shops and several selling imported western food and pirate DVDs.

Pashtunistan Square

Pashtunistan Square is the centre of the modern part of Kabul. It is a popular meeting place for both locals and tourists, the famous Khyber Restaurant on the south side of the square has recently reopened.

Shahrara Tower

The Shahrara Tower stands on another of Kabul's hills, close to Kolola Pushta. The forces of Bacha Saqao ruined the fort in 1928 on his capture of the city. The fort was built by Abdur Rahman on the site where he watched the departure of the British forces from Kabul in 1880. The fort is closed to visitors but the hill it sits on, with its small cemetery, offers good views of Kabul.

Afghan National Museum

The Kabul Museum has undergone restoration with the help of UNESCO, and opened with limited exhibits in mid-2004. It was founded in the 1920s, the Afghan National Museum (also called Kabul Museum) is a place for storage and appreciation of old Afghan items of interest. It is a two-story building located in the historic city of Kabul.