Ghazni

Ghazni City was a thriving Buddhist center before and during the 7th Century AD. In 683 AD, Arab armies brought Islam to the nearby regions.Yaqub Saffari from Zaranj reigned over the vast region. After the city was rebuilt by Yaqub’s brother, it became the dazzling capital of the Ghaznavid Empire from 994 to 1160, encompassing much of northern India, Persia and Central Asia. Many iconoclastic campaigns were launched from Ghazni into India. The Ghaznavids took Islam to India and returned with fabulous riches taken from both prince and temple god. Contemporary visitors and residents at Ghazni write with wonder of the ornateness of the buildings, the great libraries, the sumptuousness of the court ceremonies and of the wealth of precious objects owned by Ghazni’s citizens.

The city was sacked in 1151 by the Ghorid Ala'uddin but then made into their secondary capital from 1173. It again flourished but only to be permanently devastated, this time in 1221 by the Mongol armies of Genghis Khan led by his son Ögedei Khan.

Ghazni City is famous for its minarets built on a stellar plan. They date from the middle of the twelfth century and are the surviving element of the mosque of Bahramshah. Their sides are decorated with geometric patterns. Upper sections of the minarets have been damaged or destroyed. The most important mausoleum located in Ghazni City is that of Sultan Mahmud's. Others include the Tombs of poets and scientists, for example the Tomb of Al Biruni. The only ruins in Old Ghazni retaining a semblance of architectural form are two towers, about 43 m (140 ft) high and some 365 m (1,200 ft) apart. According to inscriptions, the towers were constructed by Mahmud of Ghazni and his son.

In the 1960s a 15-meter female Buddha was discovered lying on its back and surrounded by empty pillars that once held rows of smaller male Buddhas. Parts of the female Buddha have been stolen. In the 1980s a mud brick shelter was created to protect the sculpture, but the wood supports were stolen for firewood and the shelter partially collapsed.

The Battle of GhazniDuring the First Anglo-Afghan War, the city was stormed and taken over by the British forces on July 23, 1839 in the Battle of Ghazni. The Afghan Civil War and the continued conflict between the Taliban and the Afghan Northern Alliance during the 1990s put the relics of Ghazni in jeopardy. The Taliban placed Fazl Uddin in charge of protecting the artifacts.

Ghazni’s strategic position, both economically and militarily, assured its revival, albeit without its dazzling former grandeur. Through the centuries the city figures prominently as the all important key to the possession of Kabul.

(pop. 32,000) Was one of the most powerful capitals in the world during the time of the Ghaznavid Empire, which stretched from the Tigris to the Ganges. Today Ghazni is not very large, but it does have a fabulous minaret shaped like a double star, a museum, a palace, a mausoleum and the tomb of Ahmad Shah (founder of Afghanistan). The city is also known for the beautiful Afghan sheepskin coats made there. 130km south-southwest of Kabul.

11 months ago: Five South Koreans kidnapped by the Taliban walk after their release in Ghazni, about 140 kms south of Kabul, 29 August 2007. The Taliban freed eight of their 19 South Korean captives as the wrenching six-week hostage crisis in Afghanistan neared resolution. An agreement for the release of 19 South Korean hostages was reached in talks between Taliban leaders and South Korean officials in Ghazni with Indonesian diplomats and tribal negotiators also playing a role. The hostages were part of a group a 23 seized by Taliban extremists as they travelled by bus through Ghazni province 19 July.