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Ghazni: the City of Diverse Islamic Architecture

SHAFAQNA – Afghan Zariza | By Syed Zafar Mehdi : Known for its diverse Islamic architecture, the city of Ghazni is home to some magnificent mausoleums and minarets that attract a number of visitors from across the world every year.

“The greater part of the town is in ruins and nothing but a fraction of it remains, though it was once a large city,” writes the famous Moroccan traveler, Ibn Batuta, who visited this beautiful and bustling city in the central east of Afghanistan, way back in 1333.

According to Ibn Batuta, the famous warrior Mahmud ibn Sabuktagin, who raided India many times and captured many cities, came from Ghazni.

Yaqoot Al-Hamawi, the Arab chronicler, described it as the ‘great city and a large province at the frontier between Khurasan and Hindustan on a road abundant with bounties’.

According to historians, the city was inhabited by Buddhists and Hindus in pre-Islamic period, before Arabs came and introduced Islam in the 7th century

Sitting at a height of 2,219 meters above sea level, Ghazni, which was once the capital of Ghazni vid Empire and a popular commercial and cultural hub of the Islamic world, is nestled between Kandahar to the southwest and Kabul to the northeast.

Like other cities of Afghanistan, Ghazni has seen many military invasions. According to historians, the city was inhabited by Buddhists and Hindus in pre-Islamic period, before Arabs came and introduced Islam in the 7th century.

The city was destroyed by one of the Ghurid dynasty rulers but was rebuilt by other rulers later.

The city is famous for its diverse Islamic architecture and a number of magnificent mausoleums and minarets dating back to 12th century.

Mausoleum of Abd al-Razzaq, tomb of Mahmud Ghaznavi, minarets of Bahram Shah, palace of Mas’ud III and Ghazni citadel, are some of the prime attractions.

Most of the visitors come here to see the spectacular mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi and tombs of famous poets and scientists like Al Biruni.

Sultan Mahmud Ghanzavi was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, who conquered many parts of Iran and Indian subcontinent (modern Afghanistan and Pakistan) between 997 and 1030.

The two ‘victory towers’ constructed by Mahmud of Ghaznavi have survived invasions and wars for eight centuries. Designed in an intricate fashion, some minarets have been destroyed during war.

After the invasion of US led allied forces in 2001, a military base was set up in the city. The international forces have carried out many reconstruction projects and trained local police and army personnel in all these years.

In 2013, the city grabbed headlines after it was officially declared as the Asian capital of Islamic Culture for 2013 by United Nations, calling it a country full of archeological remains and full of history.

A number of projects to renovate some historical sites were carried out in 2013 and 2014.

In 2007, the city was chosen as the capital of Islamic civilization by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

This report is originally generated in 2015.

 

Read more from Shafaqna:

The Origin and Early Development of Islamic Architecture

Destinations for the Distinct Artistic Style of Islamic Civilization

Daesh Attack Near Shia Mosque in Western Afghanistan

UN documents rise in civilian casualties in Afghanistan

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