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'''Herat''' is a city in western Afghanistan, and the capital of [[Herat Province]]. It has a long cultural history as a gateway between Persian and Turkic culture, bordering on Iran and Turkmenistan. In 2008, its Old City was recognized by [[UNESCO]] for its cultural heritage.<ref>{{citation |url=http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38356&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html |title=The Herat Old City wins the Award of Excellence in the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage |author=United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization |date=November 28, 2008}}</ref> | |||
==Ancient history== | |||
First settled approximately 5,000 years ago, [[Herodotus]] called it the "breadbasket of Asia", and it was an established city when [[Alexander the Great]] arrived in the 3rd century BCE. Later, it became the main city of the Persian kingdom of Khorasan; it is the only one of that kingdom's four cities (Balkh, Mary in Turkmenistan, and Nishapur are the others) which remains largely intact.<ref name="FL">{{citation |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2322/stories/20061117000406400.htm |author=Romesh Bhattacharji |title=Historic Herat |journal=Frontline: India's National Magazine |volume=23 |issue=22 |date=4–17 November 2006}}</ref> | |||
Its central mosque was first built in the seventh century, and rebuilt by the Ghorid Dynasty in 1200. It was associated with [[Sufism]], especially with the poet Khawaja Abdullah Ansari, who died in 1088. | |||
==Flowering== | ==Flowering== | ||
{{quotation|In Herat if you stretch out your feet you are sure to kick a poet|Ali Sher Nawa}} | {{quotation|In Herat if you stretch out your feet you are sure to kick a poet|Ali Sher Nawa}} | ||
In the 14th and 15th centuries, under the Timurid dynasty, | In the 14th and 15th centuries, under the Timurid dynasty, Herat became known as the "Florence of Asia".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1615954.stm |title=Herat, the 'pearl' of Afghanistan |work=BBC News |date=12 November 2001}}</ref> It remains a major cultural attraction for its mosque, tomb and madrassa complex, built in 1417 by Gohar Shad, daughter of a Chugtai noble, one of the Mongol hordes. Called the "most incomparable woman" Gohar restored many buildings in Herat. Her grave reads "The Bilkis of All Time"; Bilkis is the Islamic name for the Queen of Sheba.<ref name="FL"/> | ||
==References== | |||
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Latest revision as of 08:00, 9 March 2024
Herat is a city in western Afghanistan, and the capital of Herat Province. It has a long cultural history as a gateway between Persian and Turkic culture, bordering on Iran and Turkmenistan. In 2008, its Old City was recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage.[1]
Ancient history
First settled approximately 5,000 years ago, Herodotus called it the "breadbasket of Asia", and it was an established city when Alexander the Great arrived in the 3rd century BCE. Later, it became the main city of the Persian kingdom of Khorasan; it is the only one of that kingdom's four cities (Balkh, Mary in Turkmenistan, and Nishapur are the others) which remains largely intact.[2] Its central mosque was first built in the seventh century, and rebuilt by the Ghorid Dynasty in 1200. It was associated with Sufism, especially with the poet Khawaja Abdullah Ansari, who died in 1088.
Flowering
In Herat if you stretch out your feet you are sure to kick a poet — Ali Sher Nawa
In the 14th and 15th centuries, under the Timurid dynasty, Herat became known as the "Florence of Asia".[3] It remains a major cultural attraction for its mosque, tomb and madrassa complex, built in 1417 by Gohar Shad, daughter of a Chugtai noble, one of the Mongol hordes. Called the "most incomparable woman" Gohar restored many buildings in Herat. Her grave reads "The Bilkis of All Time"; Bilkis is the Islamic name for the Queen of Sheba.[2]
References
- ↑ United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (November 28, 2008), The Herat Old City wins the Award of Excellence in the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Romesh Bhattacharji (4–17 November 2006), "Historic Herat", Frontline: India's National Magazine 23 (22)
- ↑ Herat, the 'pearl' of Afghanistan, BBC News, 12 November 2001.