Afghanistan, Kabul, Kabul Museum

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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.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Afghanistan, Kabul, Kabul Museum

    Kabul Museum

    Kabul

    The Kabul Museum was once one of the greatest museums in the world. Its exhibits, ranging from Hellenistic gold coins to Buddhist statuary and Islamic…

  • TOPSHOT - An Afghan vendor pushes a wheelbarrow after the first snowfall near the old fortress of Bala Hissar in Kabul on December 15, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / WAKIL KOHSAR (Photo credit should read WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)

    Bala Hissar & City Walls

    Kabul

    The 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…

  • Babur Gardens.

    Babur's Gardens

    Kabul

    Laid 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,…

  • KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: People watch two lions sitting inside the zoo in Kabul, 14 November 2005. Kabul Zoo has a collection of about 500 animals. But a decade of conflict in the 1980s, followed by years of tribal fighting around the Afghan capital, has left the zoo in shambles. AFP PHOTO / SHAH Marai (Photo credit should read SHAH MARAI/AFP via Getty Images)

    Kabul Zoo

    Kabul

    The 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…

  • Sultani Museum

    Sultani Museum

    Kabul

    This 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…

  • Omar Land Mine Museum

    Omar Land Mine Museum

    Kabul

    This 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…

  • Mausoleum of Nadir Shah

    Mausoleum of Nadir Shah

    Kabul

    King Nadir Shah was assassinated in 1933, the time-honoured way that most Afghan leaders meet their fate. His monumental tomb sits overlooking east Kabul…

  • European Cemetery

    European Cemetery

    Kabul

    This 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…

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