Places of interest
An 1881 photo showing the ruined Old Kandahar citadel of Shah Hussain Hotaki that was destroyed by the Afsharid forces of Nader Shah in 1738. This destroyed fortress is still standing today.
The tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani is located in the city center, which also houses Durrani's brass helmet and other personal items. In front of Durrani's mausoleum is the Shrine of the Cloak, containing one of the most valued relics in the Islamic world, which was given by the Emir of Bokhara (Murad Beg) to Ahmad Shah Durrani. The Sacred Cloak is kept locked away, taken out only at times of great crisis. Mullah Omar took it out in November 1996 and displayed it to a crowd of ulema of religious scholars to have himself declared Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful). Prior to that it was taken out when the city was struck by a cholera epidemic in the 1930s.
The village of Sher Surkh is located southeast of the city, in the suburbs of the old city of Nadirabad. Kandahar Museum is located at the western end of the third block of buildings lining the main road east of Eidgah Durwaza (gate). It has many paintings by the now famous Ghiyassuddin, painted while he was a young teacher in Kandahar. He is acknowledged among Afghanistan’s leading artists.
Just to the north of the city, off its northeast corner at the end of buria (matting) bazaar, there is a shrine dedicated to a saint who lived in Kandahar more than 300 years ago. The grave of Hazratji Baba, 23 feet (7.0 m) long to signify his greatness, but otherwise covered solely by rock chips, is undecorated save for tall pennants at its head. A monument to Islamic martyrs stands in the center of Kandahar's main square, called Da Shahidanu Chawk, which was built in the 1940s.
The Chilzina is a rock-cut chamber above the plain at the end of the rugged chain of mountains forming the western defence of Kandahar’s Old City. Forty steps, about, lead to the chamber, which is guarded by two chained lions, defaced, and inscribed with an account of Moghul conquest. The rugged cliffs from which the Chilzina was hewn form the natural western bastion of the Old City of Kandahar, which was destroyed in 1738 by Nadir Shah Afshar of Persia.
A short distance from Chilzina, going west on the main highway, a bright blue dome appears on the right. This is the mausoleum of Mirwais Hotak, the Ghilzai chieftain who declared Kandahar's independence from the Persians in 1709. The shrine of Baba Wali Kandhari (Baba Sahib), its terraces shaded by pomegranate groves beside the Arghandab River, is also very popular for picnics and afternoon outings. He was Muslim pir who had a strange encounter with Guru Nanak at Hasan Abdal in what is now Attock District of Pakistan. The shrine of Baba Wali is important to Muslims and Sikhs. Close to Baba Wali's shrine is a military base established by the United States armed forces in about 2007.
Development and modernization
The original model plan of the Aino Mina neighborhood, which began in 2003 by Mahmud Karzai and associates
Decades of war left Kandahar and the rest of the country destroyed and depopulated, but in recent years billions of dollars began pouring in for construction purposes and millions of expats have returned to Afghanistan. New neighborhoods have been established around the city, and a number of modern-style buildings have been constructed. Some residents of the city have access to clean drinking water and electricity, and the government is working to extend these services to every home. The city relies on electricity from the Kajaki hydroelectricity plant in neighboring Helmand, which is being upgraded or expanded. About 20 miles north of the city is the Dahla Dam, the second largest dam in Afghanistan.
The Aino Mina is a new housing project for up to two million people on the northern edge of the city.Originally called the Kandahar Valley and started by Mahmud Karzai, it was announced that the project would build up to 20,000 single-family homes and associated infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and community buildings, including schools. It recently won 2 awards, the Residential Project and Sustainable Project of the Year at the Middle East Architect Awards.Many of the high-ranking government employees and civil servants as well as wealthy businessmen live in this area, which is a more secured community in Kandahar. Work on the next $100 million scheme was innitiated in 2011. Also, construction of Hamidi Township in the Morchi Kotal area of the city began in August 2011. It is named after Ghulam Haider Hamidi, the mayor of Kandahar who was assassinated by militants in late July 2011. Situated along the Kandahar-Uruzgan Highway in the northeast of the city, the new township will have 2,000 residential and commercial plots. Including new roads, schools, commercial markets, clinics, canals and other facilities.
About 6 miles (10 km) east of Kandahar, a huge industrial park is under construction with modern facilities. The park will have professional management for the daily maintenance of public roads, internal streets, common areas, parking areas, 24 hours perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons.
The mausoleum of Baba Wali Kandhari next to the Arghandab Valley, in the northern outskirts of the city.
The mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani in the center of the city, which also serves as the Congregational Mosque and contains a sacred cloak that used to be worn by Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
Al-Jadeed indoor shopping center in the Shahre Naw section of the city.
Airports
- Kandahar International Airport
Neighborhoods
- Aino Mena (under development since 2003)
- Hamidi Mena (under development since 2011)
- Shahre Naw (meaning New City)
- Dand
- Karz
- Mirwais Mena
- Daman
- Sarpuza
- Malajat
- Old Kandahar (Zoar Shar)
- Arghandab Valley
Cultural sites and parks
- Kandahar Park
- Baba Saab
- Kokaran Park
- Baghi Pul Park
- Chilzina View (Moghul Emperor Babur's inscription site)
- Kandahar Museum
Stadiums
- Kandahar International Cricket Stadium
- Kandahar Stadium
Mosques and Shrines
- Friday Mosque of Kandahar
- Shrine of the Cloak
- Mosque of the Hair of the Prophet
- Mosque at Kandahar University (Eidgah Jaami Jumat)
- Red Mosque
Mausoleums
- Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani
- Mausoleum of Mirwais Hotak
- Mausoleum of Baba Wali
Shopping
- Al-Jadeed indoor shopping center
- Herat Bazaar
- Kabul Bazaar
- Shah Bazaar
- Shkar Pur Bazaar
Restaurants
- Lamar Restaurant
- Mumtaz Restaurant
- Kandahar Coffee Shop
Hotels and guest houses
- Continental Guest House
- Armani Hotel
- Maulvi nasar hotel kabul darwaza.
Hospitals
- Afghan National Army Regional Hospital
- Mirwais Hospital
Banks
- AIB Bank
- Kabul Bank
- Azizi Bank
Local children watching a football match at the playground of Ahmad Shah Baba High School.
Demography and culture
A gathering of tribal and religious leaders following a shura held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in June 2010 to start a dialogue for peace with the Taliban.
The population of Kandahar numbers approximately 491,500 as of 2012. The Pashtuns make up the overwhelming majority population of the city and province but exact figures are not available. According to a 2003 National Geographic suggested figures, Pashtuns were put at ca. 70%, Tajiks 20%, Hazaras 6%, Baloch 2%, and Uzbeks 2%.
Pashto serves as the main language in the city and the region. Dari is also understood by many of the city dwellers, especially those serving in the government and the educated Afghans. Both serve as the official languages of Afghanistan. A 2006 provincial data prepared by the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) states:
"The major ethnic group living in Khandahar province is Pashtoons. This includes major tribes such as Barakzai, Popalzai, Alokozai, Noorzai and Alezai. Pashtu is spoken by more than 98% of population and in more than 98% of villages. Dari is spoken in six villages by 4000 people and Balochi is spoken by 8000 people in two villages. 19000 people in nine villages speak some other unspecified language."
The Pashtun culture is dominant in the region.
Notable people from Kandahar
- Nur Jahan – Empress of the Mughal Empire
- Mirwais Hotak – founder of the Hotaki dynasty
- Abdul Aziz Hotak – ruler of the Hotaki dynasty
- Mahmud Hotaki – ruler of the Hotaki dynasty and Shah of Persia
- Ashraf Hotaki – Shah of Persia
- Hussain Hotaki – ruler of the Hotaki dynasty
- Ahmad Shah Durrani – founding father of Afghanistan who is buried in the city
- Payandah Khan, earliest tribal chief of the Barakzai dynasty
- Dost Mohammad Khan - Emire of Afghanistan and son of Payandah Khan
- Sher Ali Khan - Emir of Afghanistan and son of Dost Mohammad Khan
- Abdur Rahman Khan - Emir of Afghanistan and son of Dost Mohammad Khan
- Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi - leader of Tarzi family who played an important part in Afghan history during the late 19th century onward
- Abdul Rehman Khan, father of Bollywood actor Kader Khan
- Mohammed Zahir Shah – the last king of Afghanistan
- Ubaidullah Jan - Pashto music king of southern Afghanistan
- Nashenas - Afghan musician
- Abdul Hai Habibi – scholar, former professor at Kabul University and author of many books
- The Karzais – the family of Afghan President Hamid Karzai
- Gul Agha Sherzai – served as the governor of Kandahar province followed by as governors of Nangarhar province
- Said Tayeb Jawad – former Afghanistan Ambassador to the United States
- Yousef Pashtun - Afghan politician
- Ghulam Haider Hamidi - Mayor of Kandahar who was killed in July 2011
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