Southern Asia
Discover Bamiyan Cliff, Band-e Amir — lake landscape, Darul Aman Palace and more.
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archaeology
The Bamiyan Valley contains Buddhist monastic caves and sanctuaries alongside later Islamic-period fortifications. Its art records exchanges across ancient Bactria and the wider region. The two great standing Buddha statues were destroyed in March 2001; their niches remain part of the archaeological landscape and its history of loss.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
water
Band-e Amir is a group of lakes in Afghanistan’s highlands. Blue water and pale layered rock make a striking contrast in this dry setting, where natural mineral barriers help shape the lake landscape.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre / Afghanistan State Party
architecture
Darul Aman Palace was built during the reign of Amanullah Khan in the twentieth century. Conflict badly damaged the building, but a major restoration returned its pale facades and distinctive roofs to view. Its U-shaped frontage combines long rows of windows with projecting end blocks and colonnades. The palace offers a clear example of how one building can carry both ambitious beginnings and a later story of repair.
architecture
Herat's citadel, locally known as Qala Ikhtyaruddin, has been rebuilt and adapted through many periods of the city's history. Its high walls and rounded bastions give it a commanding presence above the surrounding old town. Conservation work by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture strengthened surviving structures and restored parts of the complex. The connected terraces and arcades reveal a place whose history includes both defensive construction and careful repair.
architecture
The Gardens of Babur occupy terraced ground in Kabul and contain the burial place of the first Mughal emperor. Later additions include Shah Jahan's small marble mosque. Its open scalloped arches and delicate rooftop finials make an intimate contrast with the garden's larger landscape. Conservation of the gardens and their monuments has helped restore a place for recreation, cultural events and quiet visits.
Source: Aga Khan Development Network / Aga Khan Trust for Culture
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