Herat in Brief

Fazlullah

Tour Guide, Herat, Afghanistan

29 Jun 2014 | 9 mins read

Herat is the second largest city in Afghanistan, located in the north western part of Afghanistan. It is famous as Nagin Aseeya or Diamond of Asia in some literature. The city has a history of more than 3000 years. History of this city is very eventful. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times. After the fall of the communist government in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, the city changed it's face due to development by Ismail Khan (Amir Ismail Khan), a local Jihadi Commander who ruled Herat till the takeover by the Taliban. Ismail Khan became the governor of this province again after the fall of Taliban and the establishment of the Karzai Government. He has continued to build on his earlier works. The people are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners and are also more religious than people in Kabul. Most of the young understand some English and occasionally other foreign languages. It is comparatively safer than some other provinces of Afghanistan

Get in

Herat International Airport

The Herat International Airport is situated 15km south of the city just east of the road towards Farah. Daily flights from Kabul are available from Kam Air [1], Ariana [2] for 3500 Afg, and Pamir Airways [3], for 4000 Afg.

A bus service is available from Mashhad in Iran, buses are supposed to leave a 7 AM from the bus terminal but departure times are flexible, be there early. Arrival at the border is around noon and in Herat a bit after 3 PM. Border procedures are relatively straightforward.

Overland travel by car can be both time-consuming and dangerous. The road from Kandahar has been rebuilt but is extremely dangerous as it passes through Helmand and Farah, both which are active war zones. The roads from Iran and Turkmenistanare both in good shape, the later one being tarred. However, expect a few craters here and there. There are occasional security incidents on the road from Turkmenistan as trouble spills over from Badghis province which is unstable. Get up-to-date advice before attempting this route. The A76 highway connects to Mazar-e Sharif via Maimana. The upgrade of this road is not yet complete, largely due to the kidnapping of the construction team in April 2009. This route is not recommended.

The central route to Kabul via Chagcheran and the Minaret of Jam is a very rough 3-6 day journey, sleeping in chaikanas along the way. It used to be a possible route until 2010 when several travelers reported no safety issues. However the situation has considerably worsened in recent years and as of Sept 2013, the Taliban have large or total control across all the eastern districts of Herat province and the western districts of Ghor province (i.e. west Chaghcheran, including the Minaret of Jam), with no plan of the government troops to retake the area (or even increasing the police presence) any time soon. Visiting the Minaret of Jam, as of Sept 2013, is no longer possible as the district is one where the Taliban have asserted full control now

See[edit][add listing]

The Museuam inside the Herat Citadel

The Friday Mosque

Musalla Complex in 2009

Ghala Ekhteyaradin, Takht Safar, Bagh Milat, Bagh Shaidayee, Masjid Jami, Howz Charso, Minarets, Poli Malan (Malan Bridge), Gowhar Shad Tomb, Gazer Gah Sharif, Sang Haft Ghalam, Dig Masjid Jami and many other nice and beautiful places exist in Herat and are really worth a visit. Some of these historical places are expected to be nominated as world heritage sites by UNESCO soon.

·         The Friday Mosque is more than 800 years old, full of life and incredibly beautiful. Be sure to seek out the craftsmen's shop behind the main entrance, where you can watch them cut tiles and lay out new pieces for the building.

·         The Herat Citadel is on a hill to the west of the old city, with great views overlooking the city. It has recently reopened to visitors after being used by the military to store ammunition for the last few years, and is currently under restoration by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. It has an eerie deserted feel, and you're free to roam and climb around all you want - however, some of the paths are precarious. The guards generally demand a $5 entrance fee, though it is possible to bargain them down to less or even get in for free.

·         Musalla Complex, about 2 km due north of the Citadel. Once a mosque, a medressa, and a mausoleum, all that remains is a single, precariously tethered minaret and the large domed tomb of Gowhar Shad, who commissioned the original complex. If you have time, wait for the keeper to unlock the tomb (this might involve asking the guard to call) - he will ask for a few dollars, but it's worth his $3-5 fee to see the interior. At the very back of the park behind the mausoleum, part of a second minaret, part of the madrassa, can be found with a rusting tank parked nearby.

·         Minarets of Sultan Baiqara, next to the Musalla Complex. The 4 minarets are all that remains of the medressa that he built. The new Iranian-built road cuts directly through them, two on each side. Most of the once beautiful blue tiling has vanished, though the floral outlines remain.

·         Tomb of Jami. Jami was a very famous 15th century Sufi poet. His tomb is highly revered, and popular with local women. To get here, walk roughly a kilometre north from the Baiqara minarets along the main road. When you get to a junction with a large monument in the center, look out to the left and the large building that looks like a mosque is the one. Otherwise, there is a taxi stand near the junction if you're out of steam or heading to Gazar Gah (50 Afg) or Takht-e Safar.

·         Gazar Gah is the large and famous sufi shrine of Khoja Abdullah Ansari, tiled in blue with Kufic calligraphy. His tomb is the large blue structure at the back. There is no entrance fee, but donations are appreciated.

·         Takht-e Safar, a very old and famous park situated near the mountain close to Gazar Gah.

·         Take a shower in the huge subterranean Hammams.

·         There are several antique shops on the north side of the mosque that sell jewelry, tea pots, old coins, traditional clothing, etc. Bargain hard and in Afghanis!

·         There is also a silk bazaar near Chahar Su and the Friday Mosque, where you can watch the weavers at their looms and bargain on scarves and cloth.

Money

·         There are money changers near Chowk Gulha and along Bagh-e Azadi, north of the old city.

·         Western Union , Bagh-e Azadi, near Da Afghanistan Bank.

·         Afghanistan International Bank (AIB) [6], Bagh-e Azadi. This location has an ATM but is closed on Fridays.

·         Kabul Bank has a branch in Herat. It also has western union services.

·         Bank Alfalah Limited* Herat Branch, Ground Floor, Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Herat Blood Bank Street, tel 0093-40-230704

Herat has a mixture of traditional and modern foods. While in Herat do not forget to try Kichiri Goshti and Chainaki. Also Halwa Sohan Herat, Shipira Zafarani and Dashlama Herati are best sweets.

·         Chaikanas are plentiful, and serve cheap local Afghani food.

·         Shahiste Restaurant, jad-e Badmurghan, is in the Marco Polo Hotel and is the one of the best restaurants in the city. The menu changes daily, and usually features several Iranian/Afghani options. Meals from around 200Afs.

·         Arghawan Restaurant, next to the Nazary Hotel, serves kebabs and pizza, with a garden for hookah. Women may be assigned to a small "family room" at the back. Meals from around 200Afs.

·         Fardeen Supermarket, jad-e Ghomandani, about two blocks north of Bagh-e Azadi. A well-stocked supermarket with plenty of western and Iranian imports.

·         Thousand and One Nights, Near new US consulate (hill above University). Rice, kebabs, shisha. Waiters are dwarves in bright blue shirts, black trousers, and striped waistcoats. While this may seem patronizing, the restaurant offers them decent jobs where they would otherwise be unemployed.