Lashkari Bazar ( fa, لشگری بازار "Military market", locally known as fa, کھنه قلعه ''Qala-e-Kohna'' "Old castle") was a palatial residence of rulers of the

Ghaznavid Empire The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate society, Persianate, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic peoples, Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, ...

, located in

Lashkargah Lashkargāh ( ps, لښکرګاه; fa, لشکرگاه), historically called Bost or Boost (), is a city in southwestern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand Province. It is located in Lashkargah District, where the Arghandab River merges into ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. The original name was probably ''al-'Askar''.

History

Some structural elements of the site date to the

Parthian Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...

period. The Center palace (32x52 meters) is thought to be dating from the

Samanid The Samanid Empire ( fa, سامانیان, Sāmāniyān) also known as the Samanian Empire, Samanid dynasty, Samanid amirate, or simply as the Samanids) was a Persianate Sunni Muslim empire, of Iranian dehqan origin. The empire was centred in Kho ...

period (819-999 CE). The area had been conquered by the Arabs as early as 661 CE, and developed to become a large and wealthy city. The very large South Palace (170x100 meters) was probably founded by

Mahmud of Ghazni Yamīn-ud-Dawla Abul-Qāṣim Maḥmūd ibn Sebüktegīn ( fa, ; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi ( fa, ), was the founder of the Turkic Ghaznavid dynasty, ruling from 998 to 1030. At th ...

(998-1030 CE), and expanded by his son Masud I (1030-41 CE). The palaces in Lashkari Bazar were the winter retreat of the Ghaznavid rulers, whose capital was in

Ghazni Ghazni ( prs, غزنی, ps, غزني), historically known as Ghaznain () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana ( gr, Αλεξάνδρεια Ωπιανή), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan ...

. The South Palace was richly decorated with stucco, paintings, frecoes and carved marble panels. A large market street about 100 meters long, a bazar, joins the palace structure. The Northern palace was constructed by later rulers. The later

Ghurid dynasty The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from th ...

sacked the palaces in 1151 CE, but later restored them, and some portions of the architecture are attributed to them. They built the fortress of

Qala-e-Bost Qala-e-Bost ( fa, قلعه بست), also romanized Qalai Bust, is a fortress in Bost, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, built 3000 years ago. It is located at 31° 30’ 02″ N, 64° 21’ 24″ E near the convergence of the Helmand Helmand (Pa ...

about 7 kilometers to the south, together with an architectural arch. Recently the ruins have been invested by Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban violence.

Paintings from Lashkari Bazar

Ghaznavid figures in the wall paintings from one of the Ghaznavid palaces at Laškarī Bāzār in central Afghanistan, probably built by Masud I (1030-41).jpg, Ghaznavid figures in the wall paintings from Laškarī Bāzār File:Painting from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar.jpg, Painting from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar File:Portrait from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar.jpg, Portrait from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar

References

{{Afghanistan-struct-stub Helmand Province Ruins in Afghanistan Forts in Afghanistan Palaces in Afghanistan Buildings and structures in Helmand Province