Ghazni

Ghazni is the capital of Ghazni province and one of Afghanistan's most historic cities. It stands at about 2,200 metres on the plateau south-west of Kabul, on the highway to Kandahar, and is dominated by its citadel, a massive fortress of mud-brick walls and towers on a hill above the old town. From the late 10th to the 12th century the city was the capital of the Ghaznavid dynasty, whose rulers built palaces, mosques and gardens here and made it a centre of learning. Much of that splendour has gone, but important monuments survive: two decorated brick minarets on the plain just outside the city, the tomb of Sultan Mahmud at Rawza, and the shrine of the poet Sanai. In 2013 Ghazni was named an Asian capital of Islamic culture, which prompted restoration work at several sites. Today Ghazni is a busy market town. Its bazaars serve the surrounding districts, and traffic on the highway brings trade and travellers through the city every day. Visitors usually combine the citadel and old walls, the minarets and the shrines of Rawza in a single day.

Ghazni was already a town before the arrival of Islam. In the 960s it came under the control of Alptigin, a Turkic commander, and later under Sebuktigin and especially his son Sultan Mahmud it became the capital of a great empire. Mahmud's campaigns brought wealth to the city, which he adorned with mosques, palaces and libraries. The later Ghaznavid sultans Masud III and Bahram Shah are credited with the two star-shaped brick minarets that still stand outside the city; they are the surviving lower sections of once taller towers. Around 1150 the Ghurid ruler Ala al-Din Husayn captured and burned the city, earning the name Jahan-suz, 'world burner'. The citadel has been rebuilt many times and was long one of the strongest fortresses on the road between Kabul and Kandahar. In recent decades conservation projects have worked to protect the walls, minarets and tombs from neglect and the weather.

Ghazni's people speak both Dari and Pashto, and the city's bazaars bring together traders and families from across the province's communities. Mosques, madrasas and shrines are central to city life, and Friday prayers and the two Eids are the busiest times in the city's calendar. The shrines are an important part of Ghazni's identity. At Rawza, just north-east of the city, the tomb of Sultan Mahmud stands in a walled enclosure and is visited by pilgrims and families. The shrine of the poet Hakim Sanai, author of the Hadiqat al-Haqiqa, is honoured by lovers of Persian poetry, and other shrines in and around the city are visited for blessings and prayers. A small museum of Islamic art has been housed in a Timurid-period mausoleum at Rawza. The city also has a university and many schools, and cricket and football are popular among young people.

The city lies on an open plain fringed by low hills, with the Ghazni River flowing nearby. At this altitude the air is clear and dry, and the mountains of the central highlands are visible on the horizon on fine days. Gardens and orchards surround the villages on the city's edges, especially around Rawza, where walls enclose fruit trees watered by karez channels. In spring the plain turns green with wheat and fodder crops; by late summer it is dusty and brown, and strong afternoon winds can raise dust. Winter brings snow and hard frosts, and the citadel walls and the minarets stand out sharply against the white plain.

The bazaars and highway restaurants of Ghazni serve the full range of Afghan dishes. Kebabs of lamb and chicken, qabuli palaw, mantu and shorwa with fresh naan are found everywhere, and roadside kitchens cater to the constant flow of travellers between Kabul and Kandahar. In winter, landi palaw, rice cooked with dried mutton, is a favourite, along with soups and stews. Bakeries produce naan and sweet breads for holidays, and confectioners sell sweets and dried fruit. In autumn the markets fill with fruit from the province's orchards, and nuts and raisins are sold year-round. Tea is served everywhere, often with sugared almonds or dried mulberries.

Ghazni's bazaar has long been known for its postin makers, who cut and sew sheepskin coats and decorate the leather with embroidery in silk thread. Workshops also produce sheepskin waistcoats and hats, and some repair and refit older coats. Elsewhere in the bazaar, tailors, embroiderers and cap makers sell embroidered caps, waistcoats and cloth, and shops stock woollen shawls, blankets and kilims brought in from the districts. Factory-made coats are now common too, but traditional sheepskin pieces are still made to order, and a well-made postin remains a prized winter garment across the highlands.

The best times to explore Ghazni's monuments are spring, from April to June, and autumn, from September to October, when days are mild and clear and walking around the citadel and minarets is comfortable. Summer days can be hot in the sun, with dust on windy afternoons, but nights are cool. In winter, from December to February, the city is cold and often snowy, and days are short; the shrines can still be visited, but warm clothing is essential. Nowruz and the Eids bring families out to the shrines and gardens around Rawza, giving the city a festive atmosphere.

Ghazni city is on the Kabul–Kandahar highway, about 150 km south-west of Kabul. Shared taxis and minibuses run frequently from Kabul, and the journey usually takes two and a half to three hours. The highway continues south through Zabul to Kandahar. From the east, a road connects the city with Gardez in Paktia, and roads from the western districts of the province converge on the city and its highway junctions. The minarets and Rawza are a short drive or a long walk from the centre. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Ghazni has a modest choice of hotels and guesthouses, most of them near the main bazaar and along the highway through the city. Standards are simple to mid-range, and rooms are used mainly by traders, officials and families passing through. Many hotels have restaurants serving local dishes. Hot water and heating can be limited, especially in winter, so it is worth asking before checking in. Because the city is within a day's return drive of Kabul, many visitors choose not to stay overnight and travel back to the capital in the evening.

Rickshaws are the most common way to get around Ghazni for short trips, along with taxis that can be hailed on the main streets. The old town and the area around the citadel are best explored on foot. To combine the citadel, the minarets and Rawza, a hired car with a driver, or a rickshaw for a few hours, is the most practical choice, since the sites are spread around the edges of the city. Shared taxis and minibuses leave from stands near the highway for Kabul, Kandahar, Gardez and the districts, departing when full.