Citadel of Herat

The Citadel of Alexander is also known as the Citadel of Herat, or Qala Iktyaruddin in local parlance. The Herat Citadel is a massive fort in the heart of Herat, Afghanistan. Towering over the Old City, the Herat Citadel has watched over Herat’s successes and setbacks with its imposing gaze for centuries. It dates back to 330 BC when Alexander the Great and his army arrived in Afghanistan after the Battle of Gaugamela. Many empires have used it as a headquarters in the last 2,000 years and it was destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.

The Citadel is built in the shape of an older, rectangular compound to the east, measuring about eighteen meters by forty-two meters, and is guarded by thirteen towers made of fired bricks, known as the Upper Citadel. The Lower Citadel has baked brick lower walls and a polygonal shape about 25 by 60 meters, with nine circular towers. The citadel appears to be a massive sand castle in the early morning light. All of these factors combine to make it one of the best tourist destinations in Afghanistan.

Location: Ansari Road, Herat, Afghanistan