Tourist Places to Visit in Ghazni, Afghanistan

Tourist Places to Visit in Ghazni, Afghanistan

Ghazni is a city located in central-east Afghanistan situated at a height of 7280 feet above sea level. Ghazni is bound by Kandhahar towards southwest, Kabul to the northeast, Gardez and Khost towards the east. Ghazni coordinates with 33.33’ degree North Latitude and 68.25’ degree East Longitude.

History of Ghazni:

Ghazni was under the Persian rule during 6^th century when the town was invaded by Achaemenid king, Cyrus II. Initially Ghazni used to be a thriving Buddhist center until the 7^th century which brought Islam into the region when it was seized by Yaqub Saffari in 9^th century. In the later part of the century, Ghazni became the capital of Ghaznivad Empire who ruled the parts of north India, Persia and Central Asia. Ghazni was under the rule of Khwarezmid Empire between 1215 A.D. to 1221 A.D until it came under the Mongol invasion.

Places of interest in and near Ghazni:

Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud:

This is the place where the Sultan of Ghazni was buried under the tomb. All the credit must go to the Sultan Mahmud who turned this place from a provincial city to a rich wealthy capital. The tomb is majestically carved using Afghan marble which displays a fine example of Afghan style of architecture.

Palace of Sultan Mas’ud III:

This is one of the prolific structures in Ghazni built by Sultan Masud in the year 112 A.D. The Palace exhibit fine display of Afghan style of architecture and include a throne room, living quarters for soldiers, govt. offices and a mosque. The mosque also has tall minarets and surrounded by well laid gardens.

The Citadel:

The Citadel was one of the most prominent structures located in Ghazni which was destroyed during First Anglo Afghan War. Presently the tourists can only see the ruins of the Citadel.

The Minarets:

The Minarets were constructed by Sultan Masud III between 1099 A.D to 1114 A.D that was inspired by Qutub Minar in New Delhi. The interiors of the Minarets are beautifully adorned with scripts and the ceilings are decorated with floral paintings and various geometric designs.

Museum of Islamic Art:

The museum has vast collection of objects dating back to 16^th century from Ghaznivad period. Besides the museum also have large collection of artifacts, statues, manuscripts, paintings, bronze articles and glass wares. Many tourists visit the museum throughout the year.

Tapa Sardar Excavations:

This site was well known for stupa which were located atop a hill which were found after a excavations were carried out between 1959 to 1962. The excavations came up with a 18 meter long statue of lord Buddha in a reclining posture.

When to visit Ghazni in Afghanistan?

Ghazni can be visited all year round but the most ideal time to visit the place would be during month of March to May as the weather stays clear and favorable for the tourists to visit the place. Winters are very cold and chilly in Ghazni and at times the minimum temperature drops to -25 degrees.

How to reach Ghazni in Afghanistan?

Ghazni is well connected by roadways and airways as several highways pass through this region making it easily accessible by road. Kabul is approx 143 kms and Kandhahar is at a distance of 353 kms from Ghazni. A new international airport is being proposed at Ghazni which will become operational from the mid 2013. Bus services are available from Ghazni to Kabul at regular intervals. The nearest airport is Kabul International Airport located about 143 kms from Ghazni.

Hotels in Ghazni:

Ghazni being one of the most frequently tourist spots in Afghanistan have several multi class hotels offering latest amenities and authentic food and cuisines. The hotels show good hospitality towards the visitors and treat them as their own family member. Some of the facilities provided by the hotel include broadband connection with Wi-Fi, room heaters, LCD and 3D monitors, provision for hot and cold water, laundry services, multi gym with saloon and spa, conference halls, airport pickup and drop, doctors on call, emergency relief measures etc. List of hotels in Kabul about 143 kms away from Ghazni is as follows: