Museum
Kabul MuseumThe Kabul Museum was once one of the greatest museums in the world. Its exhibits, ranging from Hellenistic gold coins to Buddhist statuary and Islamic…
Image by Jane Sweeney / Getty Images
Kabul
Kabul has come a long way since the Taliban's 2001 ouster. Once a stop on the old hippy trail to India, then ruined by the civil war, the city has boomed in recent years, with endless new buildings being thrown up, fancy restaurants, busy bazaars and an air thick with the sound of mobile phones. But scratch the surface and things aren't always so rosy – the infrastructure creaks, electricity and clean water remain an aspiration for too many, and the background thrum of security alerts and road barriers remind you that Kabul's path to reconstruction continues to be rocky. As an introduction to Afghanistan it's exciting, frustrating, inspiring and shocking in equal measure.
Explore Kabul
0
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kabul.
- Sights
Fortress
Bala Hissar & City WallsThe old seat of royal power, a fortress has stood on the site of the Bala Hissar since the 5th century AD, and quite possibly before. It sits at the foot…
Park
Babur's GardensLaid out by the Mughal ruler Babur in the early 16th century, and the site of his tomb, these gardens are the loveliest spot in Kabul. At 11 hectares,…
Museum
Sultani MuseumThis private museum in the same grounds as the National Gallery is something of a curiosity. It was set up in 2004 by Ahmad Shah Sultani, a gold trader…
Museum
Omar Land Mine MuseumThis is a museum that only a country like Afghanistan could host. Run by the Organisation for Mine clearance and Afghan Rehabilitation (OMAR), it acts as…
Tomb
Mausoleum of Nadir ShahKing Nadir Shah was assassinated in 1933, the time-honoured way that most Afghan leaders meet their fate. His monumental tomb sits overlooking east Kabul…
Historic Site
European CemeteryThis cemetery was built in 1879 by the British army for the dead of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The cemetery contains around 150 graves. Most are from…
Market
Ka Faroshi Bird MarketEntering Kabul’s bird market is like stepping back in time a hundred years, to a corner of the city untouched by war or modernisation. Also known as the…
Zoo
Kabul ZooThe zoo is a popular place for Kabulis in need of recreation. Western animal lovers might find it more than a little depressing. Visitors are greeted…
Notable Building
National ArchiveHolding over 15,000 documents, the National Archive is housed in a palace built at the end of the 19th century by Abdur Rahman Khan for his son. …
Mosque
Shah-e Doh Shamshira MosqueCalled the 'Mosque of the King of Two Swords', the Shah-e Doh Shamshira Mosque on Kabul river must be one of the most unusual in Islam. Built in the 1920s…
Hill
Bibi Mahru HillAlso called Teppe Bemaru, the low Bibi Mahru Hill overlooks Wazir Akbar Khan. It's popular with some expats living in the district for walking, and has…
Gallery
National GalleryThe National Gallery contains a mix of historic pictures and paintings by modern Afghan artists. Like Kabul’s other cultural institutions, it didn’t…
Historic Site
Mausoleum of Timur ShahTimur Shah was the first to make Kabul the capital of a unified kingdom. He died in 1793, but it was another 23 years before his mausoleum was built,…
Tomb
Mausoleum of Abdur Rahman KhanThe tomb of the 'Iron Amir' sits in Zarnegar Park. Originally a palace, the building has a bulbous red dome atop a whitewashed drum, and fussy decorative…
Museum
Royal Palace Of DarulamanThe old Royal Palace Of Darulaman sits opposite the Kabul Museum. Built by Amanullah in the 1920s, in grand European style, the palace is now little more…
Stadium
Ghazi StadiumKabul’s main stadium hosts football matches most Friday afternoons. In the winter months and at Nauroz there are occasional buzkashi matches.