Ghazni

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Ghazni, Afghanistan
Centuries old minaret, as pictured in July 2001
Centuries old minaret, as pictured in July 2001
Coordinates: 33°33′N 68°25′E
Country Afghanistan
Province Ghazni
Area  
 - City km²
Elevation 2219 m  (7280 ft)
Population  
 - City (2006) 149,998[1]
Time zone GMT+04:30 Kabul (UTC)

Ghazni (Persian: غزنی , Ğaznī) is a city in eastern Afghanistan, with an estimated population of 149,998 people.[2] It is the capital of Ghazni province, situated on a plateau at 7,280 feet (2,219 m) above sea level. It is linked by highways with Qalat to the south-west, Kabul to the northeast and Gardez to the east. The population of Ghazni are mostly Pashtuns and Hazaras.

Contents

[edit] History

Ghazna (Ghazni), one of the important cities of Khorasan[citation needed], was the capital of the Ghaznavid Empire (962 to 1187), ruled by the Ghaznavid Sultans, after the fall of the Empire of the Nasher Khans.

The most important mausoleum located in Ghazni is that of Sultan Mahmud's.[3] 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 the Mahmud of Ghazni and his son.

During 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.

Ghazni is also 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.

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 Afghan Civil War and the continued conflict between the Taliban and the Afghan Northern Alliance during the 1990s put the relics of Ghazni in jeapordy. The Taliban placed Fazl Uddin in charge of protecting the artifacts.

[edit] Notables from Ghazna

[edit] See also

[edit] References and footnotes

  1. ^ World Gazetteer: Ġaznī - profile of geographical entity...Link
  2. ^ World Gazetteer: Ġaznī - profile of geographical entity...Link
  3. ^ Nancy Hatch Dupree - Chapter 9 (Ghazni) - Mausoleum of Sultan Mahmud...Link

[edit] External links

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