Afghan Royal Palace
Sunday, 10th July 2005 by
The old Royal Palace in Afghanistan is a bombed out shell of a building which must have been quite impressive in its time. The palace was designed by a French architect and originally built in 1923 by King Amanullah. The King even had a small railway line laid, so he could travel by train into the centre of Kabul! The palace was surrounded by beautiful gardens (which you can still see the outlines of) before being destroyed by factional fighting in 1992 and looted. There are currently plans to restore the palace and use it for the countries new parliament. Although this is expected to take around 10 years and cost in excessive of $60 million.
Thanks: Jean Lorraine
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stupid americans destroying the beautiful palace 🙁
If you read the post Ulrich, it was actually destroyed by the Afghans fighting amongst themselves.
So this is what we went to war for, all makes sense now.
umm, whats with most iraq or afghan place related comments being anti-american? so you didnt lieke the war, eh? fine, but dont make comments like “stupid americans” or something like that.
No use wasting your breath Andy; you can’t reason with liberals and fools
So some are allowed to say “fool” but others cannot say “stupid”? Hey Bill, is that your interpretation of freedom of speech? 😉
RiSk, you obviously think it is smart to say things like “stupid americans” here. Well, as Olly explained this afghan palace has nothing to do with americans in the first place, so no need to talk rubbish. And if someone DOES make a comment like “stupid americans” where there is no connection to americans whatsoever, then I think it might be appropriate to call those people fools. The bigger issue here of course is that if you dont like war or some US american policy, why turn it into anti-americanism? Didnt see any pacifists make any noise when there have been dozens of brutal wars in africa, asia, and brutal killings. As soon as USA does something, everyone who wants goes crazy and makes all kinds of idiotic statements pathetic. people, grow up please.
Frankly, it’s a shame that the Americans (and their allies) didn’t come in sooner; not only would the palace have been able to be restored sooner, but perhaps much more of Afganistan’s cultural and religious history would have been saved.
OK, let’s quit talking politics and get back to sightseeing. If you follow the road heading northeast of the palace then you get to what appears to be the city centre, with some serious traffic. The interesting thing is that every car appears to be either white or yellow.
To the north and east, just beyond the city centre, there is evidence of the destructiveness of twenty-five years of war: link
There is a field full of what appear to be small bomb craters, and a destroyed building. Just to the west is a neighborhood with large parts missing (although outlines remain).
Andy, Bill no offense (it seems that you miss my little smiley) I think it is absolutely no use to answer to such messages, and if you do so, don’t play their game by answering with insults! Ignore them would a proof of wisdom and not stupidity but insulting the sender is simply useless and don’t forget that when you are pissed of by something, you loose a few minutes of life. :p So remain cool and let’s continue to enjoy the sightseeing all together! 😉
I was in Kabul in 2003 working with the UN, and whilst there had a good look around the palace. It had indeed been a magnificent building – but has (as the aerial photo shows) been extensively damaged and looted. If they can restore it for $10m they’ll be doing well – even at Afghan wage rates. Not sure how suitable as a parliament building it’d be. Have a numberr of close-up photos if this site wants them.
wow did not know so many Americans were intrested in Afghanistan.
I was at the palace this afternoon, filming. It’s not looking as stable as it might be. But it harks back to the grandeur of the tweneties, a time when Amanullah was out of step with his people… but what style!
Many years ago my father, Dr. Edward Matson, sent several Colorado blue spruce trees to the King for the palace gardens at the King Zahir Shah’s request. They were special varieties of the bluest tones, including the Hoopsi blue spruce. I had always hoped that they might have survived.
I now hope that the Palace and the gardens will be restored so that the Afghan people may enjoy them once again.
The comment about “stupid Americans” is rather funny considering that according to the Afghans the damage done to the King’s Palace and the neighboring Queen’s Palace was actually one my the Hero of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Masoud (The Tiger of Panjshir), whose forces used the palaces for target practice while they were trying to oust the Taliban from power.
Ok, It wasnt Americans thats only because afghanistan has no Oil, what was the reason to invade Iraq was it weapons of mass destruction well where are them weapons now?????? If George Bush likes war so much why did he not fight in the Vietnam war? All americans are not idiots, i believe there are many good people. However, they are let down by the retard they have in place for a president.
Ahmad Shah Massoud was the “Lion of Panjshir”.
Massoud’s nickname, the “Lion of Panjshir” is a rhyme and play on words in Persian, which alludes to the strength of his resistance against the Soviet Union, the mythological exaltation of the lion in Persian literature, and finally, the place name of the Panjshir Valley, where Massoud was born. The place name of “Panjshir” Valley in Persian means (Valley of the) Five Lions. Thus, the phrase “Lion of Panjshir” which in Persian is “Shir-e-Panjshir,” is a rhyming play on words. (Wikipedia)