THE QALA IKHTYARUDDIN CITADEL
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Perched atop a rock, north of the old town, the citadel dominates the bazaar and the northern plains.
Built in the 1221 th or th centuries, probably on the site of the ancient fortress built by Alexander the Grand, the citadel of Hérât was destroyed several times, renovated, restored, especially after the Passage passage () by Genghis Khan. At the beginning of the th century it was restored by the Ghaznavides. Some time later, Bursa attacked it, destroyed it and renovated it. In 1175, the Ghôrides attacked. And Genghis Khan demolished it around 1221. In 1381, the citadel was conquered by Timur and later, magnificently restored by the fourth son of the citadel. Under the Mongol, it is an impressive fortress. The citadel we see today was built in 1305 by Malik Fakhruddin. And embellished by the son of Timur, Shah Rukh. It rebuilt in two years (1415-1417) the brick brick ramparts. The citadel will remain the heart of the Timurid Empire for a hundred years (1405-1506) but, as soon as the empire is broken, it will be constantly targeted by attacks by the Uzbeks and the Persians. In the 1881 th century, the citadel was in the hands of the contenders in Kabul, until Abdur Rahman gave his power in. In 1838, a British army officer occupied the Citadel with his men and held his defence against the siege of the Russian and Persian army. In the 1950 s, it was occupied by the Afghan army. In 1995, the Taliban took the city and a branch of their secret police settled in the citadel. Under the Taliban regime, it serves as the basis for its men.
Visit. The ramparts, 16 m high, are reinforced by crenellated semi-circular towers used to defend the citadel. The laying of mosaics is attributed to Shah Rukh, emperor timurid. A UNESCO team was sent in 1975 for the renovation and protection of the citadel. But, in 1979, after the insurgency, Hérât was bombed by Soviet aircraft and UNESCO staff evacuated.
However, the work continued until 1983. Today, despite the numerous destruction suffered, the fortress and its ramparts remain imposing. In addition to the historical interest of the citadel, the site offers a panoramic view over the entire city of Hérât and surrounding hills.
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