Herat Citadel

The Qala Ikhtyaruddin, or Citadel of Herat, is a fort located in the center of Herat in Afghanistan. It dates back to 330 BC, when Alexander the Great and his army arrived to Afghanistan after the Battle of Gaugamela. Many empires have used the fort as their headquarters over the last 2,000 years, during which it was destroyed and rebuilt many times.

From decades of wars and neglect, the citadel began to crumble but in recent years several international organizations decided to completely rebuild it. The National Museum of Herat is also housed inside the citadel, while the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture is the caretaker of the whole premises.