Balkh see · Balkh attractions
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Balkh attractions
Balkh attractions
The town is completely enclosed by its ancient fortifications; brick and mud walls at least 30 feet high and in good condition. They can be climbed giving views of the countryside and the town. At the north end is another larger mound that was the fortress. The walls slope on the outside and are vertical on the inside, giving and impression from the inside of being very tall. Turrets along the walls are in varying states of decay providing glimpses of building techniques.
The town has a central park, where children play soccer or volleyball. At one end are the ruins of a tiled mosque, the other the gate of a madrassa. Again the construction technique of the madrassa can bee seen. As the park is full of trees and small shops surround the part it is difficult to take photos of the madrassa. Full shots of the mosque are easy.
Shrine of Khoja Abu Nasar Parsa ? also known as Bala Hasar, dominating the park in the center of the town sits this 15th century shrine, built in the Timurid style.
Dargah of Rabia Balkhi ? adjacent to the Parsa shrine is this small tomb of the famous female Persian poet. She was sealed in a basement by her brother after having an affair, and wrote her most famous poem in her own blood on the wall as she died.
Noh Gonbad (Haji piyada) mosque; is well worth a visit. Its history is unclear but it is certainly one of Afghanistan's most important historical buildings. Possibly dating from Zoroastrian times the remains are now under a protective roof, and are worth the bumpy 2km drive from the main Balkh - Mazar road. Head south from the centre of Balkh, cross the main east-west road and keep going. After 500 metres you'll see a sign (in English) telling you to turn right.
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Balkh Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.