The Citadel

The Citadel (Qala-i-Ikhtiyar-ud-din)

The Citadel of Herat was built by Malik Fakhruddin in 1305 A.D. Originally the citadel was bulit by Alexander the Great. The fort was attacked repeatedly by conquerors like Genghis Khan, he Seljuks, the Ghorids, the Mongols, the Timurids, the Safavids. The walls of the citadel tells us the glorious past of Afghanistan.

A view from Herat City - Old parts of town

History Herat’s history is quite turbulent and eventful. Achaemenid records says the city appeared first under the name of Haraiva. Alexander the great was first to built a fortress in the city. Arabs captured the city in 651 C.E.. They fought over the city, lost it and regained it again and again. Herat beacame part of the Samanid, Ghaznavid, Saljuk and Ghorid dynasties subsequently. When Mongols attacked the city, Herat was destroyed completely. Mongols under the command of Ghenghis Khan slaughtered the masses and left the city in ruin.