Places

The built and sacred landscape: cities and provinces, fortresses and minarets, archaeological sites, shrines, and passes.

• Alingar DistrictA district in Laghman Province characterized by high-altitude terrain and ancient archaeological heritage.
• AqinaA border crossing and port connecting Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
• Arg of Kabulthe presidential citadel at the heart of Kabul, built by Abdur Rahman Khan in the 1880s
• AriaAn ancient Achaemenid satrapy and fertile agricultural region in western Afghanistan.
• AsadabadThe capital city of Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan.
• BactriaAn ancient region of Central Asia located primarily in modern-day Afghanistan.
• Badakhshan ProvinceA mountainous province in northeastern Afghanistan known for its mineral wealth and historical significance.
• Gardens of Baburthe Mughal emperor's garden and final resting place in Kabul
• Bala Hissar of Kabulancient fortress of Kabul — Mughal palace, Durrani arsenal, site of the Cavagnari massacre
• Balkh"the mother of all cities" — ancient Bactra on the northern plain
• Bamyan ProvinceA mountainous province in central Afghanistan renowned for its historical ruins and Hazara population.
• Blue Mosque of Mazar-i Sharifthe Shrine of Hazrat Ali — the Noble Tomb that named a city
• British Residency in KabulA historical diplomatic post of the British Raj in Kabul, site of the 1879 massacre.
• Char Chatta BazaarMughal-era covered marketplace in Kabul, destroyed by British forces in 1842
• Chilzinathe Forty Steps — Babur's rock-cut inscription terrace above Old Kandahar
• Darul Aman PalaceAmanullah Khan's neoclassical palace — symbol of Afghan modernisation, ruined by civil war, restored in the 2010s
• DaruntaAn ancient archaeological site in Nangarhar Province containing early Buddhist stupas.
• Darunta DamA hydroelectric dam on the Kabul River providing power and irrigation to the Nangarhar Province.
• Forward Operating Base ShankA former U.S. military base in Logar Province used to train Afghan security forces.
• GandamakA village in Nangarhar Province famous for its role in two major Anglo-Afghan conflicts.
• GandharaAn ancient historical region in northeastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan.
• Ghazni ProvinceA southeastern province situated on the main highway between Kabul and Kandahar.
• Ghor ProvinceA rugged, mountainous province in western Afghanistan known for its Ghurid heritage and the Minaret of Jam.
• Helmand ProvinceA southern Afghan province characterized by its vast deserts, rugged hills, and the fertile Helmand River Valley.
• HeratThe third-largest city in Afghanistan and capital of Herat Province, historically known as the 'Pearl of Khorasan'.
• JalalabadThe capital of Nangarhar Province in eastern Afghanistan, a historic trade hub and strategic city near the Khyber Pass.
• Jamrud FortA historic fort and military outpost situated at the entrance to the Khyber Pass.
• KabulAfghanistan's capital — 3,500 years at the crossroads of empires
• KafiristanA historical region in the Hindu Kush mountains, formerly known as the 'Land of Infidels' until the late 19th century.
• Kajki DamA hydroelectric and irrigation dam on the Helmand River in southern Afghanistan.
• KandaharAfghanistan's second city: ancient Arachosia, Durrani capital, Taliban birthplace
• Kandahar Provincethe fertile-arid south: Arghandab orchards, Registan desert, Spin Boldak frontier
• Kapisa Provincethe smallest province of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country
• Kot DistrictA Pashto-speaking district in northern Nangarhar Province, notable for 2015-2016 ISIS clashes.
• Kunar ProvinceA rugged, mountainous province in eastern Afghanistan known for its dense forests and historical trade routes.
• Laghman ProvinceA lush, mountainous province in eastern Afghanistan known for its greenery and proximity to the Pakistan border.
• Laghman UniversityA public higher-education institution located in Mehtarlam, Laghman Province.
• Logar ProvinceA strategic province in southern Afghanistan, situated at the southern gate of Kabul and home to the Mes Aynak copper mines.
• Mes Aynak MineA massive copper mine and ancient Buddhist archaeological site in Logar Province.
• Nangarhar ProvinceAn eastern province of Afghanistan with a rich history of religious diversity and complex tribal dynamics.
• Nuristan ProvinceThe least populous province of Afghanistan, situated in the eastern highlands.
• Old Kandaharthe ruined ancient city of Alexandria Arachosia, destroyed by Nader Shah in 1738
• Panjshir ProvinceA mountainous province in northeastern Afghanistan known for its rugged terrain and the Panjshir Valley.
• ParunThe capital city of Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan.
• Parwan ProvinceA province in northern Afghanistan known for its historical significance and the Bagram Air Base
• Qalati GhiljiThe capital of Zabul Province and a city in southern Afghanistan.
• Qarghayi DistrictThe largest district in Laghman Province, located in eastern Afghanistan.
• QataghanA historical province and region in northeastern Afghanistan.
• Sar-i Sang MineA world-renowned lapis lazuli deposit in Badakhshan Province known for producing some of the finest azure-blue gemstones on Earth.
• Sherpur CantonmentFormer British military encampment in Kabul, now a cemetery and historic site
• ShortugaiAn ancient Indus Valley trading settlement in northern Afghanistan
• Shuhada-ye Salehin CemeteryOne of the largest and oldest public cemeteries in Kabul, located on the slopes of Mount Asmai.
• Spin Ghar DistrictA district in Nangarhar Province located on the eastern border with Pakistan.
• Tajbeg PalaceA palace in Kabul that served as a royal residence and later a Soviet military headquarters
• TorghundiA border town and transport hub in northern Herat Province linking Afghanistan with Turkmenistan.