In 2002, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) began the rehabilitation of Bagh-e Babur. This is a walled and terraced garden containing the tomb of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire. Improvements include restoring walls and the Queen’s Palace, re-laying water channels, reconstructing a caravanserai to provide space for a visitor’s centre, shops and offices, and replanting trees favoured by the Mughals. A range of community upgrading activities has also been carried out. This has improved the water and sanitation facilities for 10,000 inhabitants of the surrounding residential area, which has been the focus of joint area-planning initiatives with Kabul Municipality.

AKTC has restored an imposing 19th-century mausoleum in central Kabul over the grave of Timur Shah, the king who made Kabul the Afghan capital in place of Kandahar. The surrounding open space has been reclaimed and landscaped to create a green park in the heart of the city.

Since 2003, we have been conserving key historic buildings, including houses, mosques, shrines and public facilities, in the war-damaged quarters of the old city of Kabul. Upgrading works have also improved living conditions for some 15,000 residents of the old city in the neighbourhoods of Asheqan wa Arefan, Chindawol and Kuche Kharabat.

As of 2021, we had:

• rehabilitated five public open spaces (including the ongoing Kabul River Front Transformation and the Bala Hissar citadel projects);


• paved more than 22,000m² of pedestrian alleyways, walkways and streets;


• improved 134 houses through grants and technical advice;


• trained more than 6,000 youth in carpentry, wood carving, masonry, traditional plastering, tailoring, embroidery, carpet and kilim weaving, rubab making, electricity, tinsmith, horticulture and literacy; and


• generated more than 915,000 workdays for skilled and unskilled labour.

Read more about restoration in Kabul

We have carried out documentation, conservation and upgrading works since 2005 in surviving historic sections of the old city of Herat, in western Afghanistan. This has been supported by efforts to improve urban management and governance in the city. In addition, we have undertaken restoration work on an important Timurid shrine complex in Gazorgah, northeast of the city.

As of 2021, we had:

• conserved 41 public buildings and monuments (including the ongoing Fifth Minaret of the Musalla Complex);


• paved five public open spaces;


• rehabilitated 35,000m² of pedestrian alleyways, walkways and streets;


• rehabilitated seven houses;


• improved 60 houses through grants and technical advice;


• Employed 15 master craftsmen to train 75 apprentices, trained 120 skilled labourers, trained 30 youth as carpenters, masons and glass makers; and


• generated 507,000 workdays for skilled and unskilled labour.

Read more about restoration in Herat

We have also been involved in a number of revitalisation measures in Balkh, including the Noh Gunbad Mosque and the shrine of Abu Nasr Khwaja Parsa.

As of 2021, we had:

• conserved 13 monuments;


• rehabilitated two public open spaces;


• paved 10,000m² of pedestrian alleyways, walkways and streets;


• supported the training of 68 apprentices by 10 master craftsmen through conservation efforts;


• trained 110 men as carpenters, masons and tile makers and 47 women in tailoring; and


• generated 170,000 workdays for skilled and unskilled labour.

Read more about restoration in Balkh

Protecting the Mes Aynak archaeological site and its works of art

Aga Khan Cultural Services – Afghanistan, with support from the International alliance for the protection of heritage in conflict areas (ALIPH), is undertaking emergency conservation to prevent further loss and damage to key artifacts and heritage at a third-seventh century Buddhist settlement in Mes Aynak. Read more about conservation in Logar.