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Balkh the "Mother of Cities"
Balkh is an old city in the north of Afghanistan, 20 kilometers far
from Mazar-i Sharif. This famous and ancient city is now, for the
most part, a mass of ruins, which consist mostly of fallen mosques
and decayed buildings of sun-dried bricks.
The Koran call it « Um Al-Belaad » or "Mother of Cities" due to its
history. At an early date, the town was the rival of Babylon. For a
long time, the city was the central seat of the Zoroastrian religion,
the founder of which is said to have died within its wall. In the 7th
century, there were about a hundred Buddhist monasteries. In
1290, Ghengis Khan sacked Balkh, butchered its inhabitants,
treatment to which it was again subjected in the 14th century by
Timour Lang. In 1730, it was conquered by the Persian emperor
Nadir Shah. Under the Sadozai dynasty, it fell into the hands of
Ahmad Shah Durrani. After being for some time subject to the Khan
of Bokhara, since 1850, due to Amir Dost Mohammad Khan, it has
remained under Afghan rule.
In 1900, the population of the town consists of about 12000
Afghans, 5000 Tatars, about 1000 families of Jews and a few
Hindus.
from Mazar-i Sharif. This famous and ancient city is now, for the
most part, a mass of ruins, which consist mostly of fallen mosques
and decayed buildings of sun-dried bricks.
The Koran call it « Um Al-Belaad » or "Mother of Cities" due to its
history. At an early date, the town was the rival of Babylon. For a
long time, the city was the central seat of the Zoroastrian religion,
the founder of which is said to have died within its wall. In the 7th
century, there were about a hundred Buddhist monasteries. In
1290, Ghengis Khan sacked Balkh, butchered its inhabitants,
treatment to which it was again subjected in the 14th century by
Timour Lang. In 1730, it was conquered by the Persian emperor
Nadir Shah. Under the Sadozai dynasty, it fell into the hands of
Ahmad Shah Durrani. After being for some time subject to the Khan
of Bokhara, since 1850, due to Amir Dost Mohammad Khan, it has
remained under Afghan rule.
In 1900, the population of the town consists of about 12000
Afghans, 5000 Tatars, about 1000 families of Jews and a few
Hindus.
AFGHANISTAN OLD PHOTOS
Balkh, Shrine of Khwaja Abu Nasr
Parsa. Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa was a
spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi
order and a theological lecturer in
Herat.
Parsa. Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa was a
spiritual leader of the Naqshbandi
order and a theological lecturer in
Herat.
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