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Herat Travel Wiki
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City travel and information guide
Tourist information, guides, as well as search possibility for cheapest travel offers and hotel deals. Get the best and cheapest vacation.
Travel to Herat
Herat is the second largest city in Afghanistan, located in the north western part of Afghanistan. It is famous as Nagin Aseeya or Diamond of Asia in some literature.
The city has a history of more than 3000 years. History of this city is very eventful. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Conqueror after conqueror, from the time of Alexander the great built the fort which is still standing in the center of the city.
From 1040 to 1175 the city was ruled by the Seljuks who defeated the Ghaznavids and destroyed the fortress. Herat was then captured by the Ghorids until the city fell under the control of the Khwarazm empire. In 1221, Herat was taken by Mongols and Tuli, the son of Genghis Khan, ruled for a time, but the citizens revolted and killed the Mongol garrison. Extremely angered, Genghis Khan rode upon the city with 80,000 troops and besieged it for six months, leaving only forty people living.
In 1245 Herat was given to the Kart Maliks. Tamerlane destroyed Herat in 1381, however, his son, Shah Rukh, rebuilt it and started the cultural renaissance which made it the center of learning and culture. During the Timurid rule, the famous poet of Herat, Jami and the miniaturist, Behzad were born, Queen Gawhar Shad’s Mussalla wasbuilt and Guzargah restored. For the second time the city flourished.
In 1718 the Afghan clan, Hotaki, struggled for Herat’s independence which continued wntil 1880, when finally the city became an integral part of Afghanistan.
After the fall of the communist government in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, the city changed it’s face due to development by Ismail Khan (Amir Ismail Khan), a local Jihadi Commander who ruled Herat till the takeover by the Taliban.
Ismail Khan became the governor of this province again after the fall of Taliban and the establishment of the Karzai Government. He has continued to build on his earlier works. The people are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners and are also more religious than people in Kabul.
Most of the young understand some English and occasionally other foreign languages. It is comparatively safer than some other provinces of Afghanistan.
Travel and vacation in Herat, Afghanistan
Here you can find information about travel and holiday trips to Afghanistan. You will find travel deals as well as general travel information, guides, “good to know” and facts about Afghanistan. We try to find the best travel video about the city and its surroundings and we write about the best sights, shopping and things to do. You will also find updated current weather and forecasts. The current exchange rates are also updated many times a day.
Best of Herat
Below you can see some extra information and travel tips on what to see and do.
The Citadel
This fort, originally built by Alexander the great, suffered repeated attacks over the history, but still dominates the landscape of Herat. Held by the Ghaznavids, the Seljuks, the Ghorids, the Mongols, the Timurids, the Safavids and others, the citadel is a reminder of the times of kings, conquerors and great pageantry.
Masjide Jami
This great mosque, in the center of the city has been a place of worship since the time of Zoroaster. Rebuilt several times, the mosque now stands in perfect splendor since its most recent restoration which is nearing completion.
Musalla Complex
Once a mosque, a medressa, and a mausoleum, all that remains is a single, precariously tethered minaret and the large domed tomb of Gowhar Shad, who commissioned the original complex. At the very back of the park behind the mausoleum, part of a second minaret, part of the madrassa, can be found.
Guzargah
The tomb of the famous 11th Century poet and mystic Khwaja Abdullah Ansari was restored by Shah Rukh in 1428. Inside the courtyard lies the tomb of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan.
Jamis Tomb
One of the greatest 15th Century poets, Maulana Nuruddin Abdurrahmane Jame, born in 1414 achieved widespread fame in his time. He died in Herat in 1492 and buried in a grave unadorned, save for a pistachio tree which has sprung from the tomb itself.
Travel and stay
If you are looking for places to stay there are some possibilities where you can search for the cheapest options.
Hostelworld where you can search for budget accommodation
Hotellook where you can search hotels and apartments
Airbnb where you can search accommodation in private apartments and rooms
Rent your transport
A way to get around the city is looking for offers on renting the transport.
Discover Cars is a website offering price comparison on car rentals all over the world
Rent bikes and motorbikes
BikesBooking is a website where you can search bikes, scooter and motorcycle rental.
City tours and transfers
When you are ready to discover the city you can find information about city tours and tranfers in the city on different websites offering search engines with all in one search.
Kiwitaxi is a website where you can search the best offers for city and airport transfers
City Tours and attractions
Find city tours and attractions with local guides and discover the city with the locals. Check ticket prices and book in advance for the biggest and most popular attractions.
Where is the city, maps
See on the map where you can find the city in the country and calculate how far it is.
City Tourist Information
Below you will find a listing of what to see and do in the city
Info
Afghanistan Holidays
Biggest City Afghanistan
Geography and facts, Afghanistan
National Tourist Information Afghanistan
Online weather and forecast
The weather and weather forecast for the coming days will be updated several times every day
Closest terminals to the city
Here you can see which is the closest terminals to the city