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Paghman ( Persian/ Pashto: پغمان) is a town in the hills near Afghanistan's capital of Kabul. It is the seat of the Paghman District (in the western part of Kabul Province) which has a population of about 120,000 (2002 official UNHCR est.), mainly Tajiks and
Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
. The gardens of Paghman is a major tourist attraction, and is why the city is also known as the garden capital of Afghanistan.


History


20th century

After King Amanullah Khan and Queen Soraya Tarzi's return from Europe in 1928, Amanullah brought in foreign experts to redesign Kabul. At that time, at the entrance of Paghman, they created a European-style monumental gate similar to but smaller than the
Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' ...
in Paris, France, called the
Taq-e Zafar The Taq-e Zafar (Persian: طاق ظفر, English: Arch of Victory) is a triumphal arch located at the front of the gardens in Paghman, Afghanistan. The famous victory arch commemorates Afghan independence after the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 191 ...
( fa, طاق ظفر ''Arch of Victory''). Originally a small village at the bottom of the Hindu Kush, Paghman turned into a holiday retreat with villas and chalets as well as the summer capital. Its wide avenues contained
fir Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family (biology), family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North America, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The ...
, poplar and
nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Com ...
trees which flew past the arch, villas and a golf course. It was a popular place for the wealthy and the aristocrats to visit. The new royal gardens were opened to the public under the proviso—as a matter of reform—that western dress was adopted there, as in the royal residential areas of nearby Kabul. On September 1, 1928, King Amanullah convoked the Loya Jirga to Paghman to the puzzlement of many delegates, who found themselves at odds with the dress-code. On September 7, 1928, the Hazrat of Shor Bazaar—an influential political figure in Kabul—presented the king with a petition signed by some 400 religious leaders opposing many of Amanullah's reforms. This action led to the arrest of the Hazrat, the execution of some of his followers and finally the rebellion of 1929 led by Ameer Habibullah Kalakani , that overthrew the king. The gardens eventually became a popular place for local and foreign tourists. Wealthy Kabulites owned
summer home A summer house or summerhouse has traditionally referred to a building or shelter used for relaxation in warm weather. This would often take the form of a small, roofed building on the grounds of a larger one, but could also be built in a garden ...
s there who employed servants and maids. During the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s, Paghman was a major battleground and it suffered from bombardment from both the Soviet-backed government and the
mujahideen ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term th ...
rebels. Most buildings were destroyed and residents had fled. Little remained of the prosperous Gardens, save for the remains of the Arc de Triomphe style arch, which has had its top blown off.


21st century

Following the formation of the
Karzai administration Hamid Karzai (; Pashto/ fa, حامد کرزی, , ; born 24 December 1957) is an Afghan statesman who served as the fourth president of Afghanistan from July 2002 to September 2014, including as the first elected president of the Islamic Republi ...
, the Arch was reconstructed and was completed by May 2005. Other damaged parts of the former Gardens were also rebuilt. It once again became a popular touristic site, and is popular with residents of Kabul. There was further development in the 2010s. In 2012, 1,000 families in the Paghman district received electricity. The power was distributed to families in the Pracha village of Pashaee valley after the installation of three 1,000 kilovolt transformers. The electricity was supplied to people from the Mahipar Dam in the Surobi district at the cost of 35 million AFN (US$622,443). In 2014, a newly built palace, the
Paghman Hill Castle Paghman Hill Castle, also known as Paghman Palace ( ps, د پغمان ماڼۍ), is located in the town of Paghman in Afghanistan, next to the city of Kabul. The site opened to the public in 2014 and is visited by many tourists, especially during ...
, was opened to the public. The palace's surroundings also consists of thousands of newly planted trees as well as a Buzkashi field, a waterfall and other attractions. The palace's interior is decorated with traditional handmade
Afghan carpet An Afghan rug (or Afghan carpet) is a type of handwoven floor-covering textile traditionally made in the northern and western areas of Afghanistan, mainly by Afghan Turkmens and Uzbeks. Types and varieties One of the most exotic and distin ...
s and other traditional material. It was planned to be used for major festivals.


Geography

The Paghman area is greener compared to many other parts of the region, and also has fruit trees. It is located at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountain range. The
Afghanodon ''Paradactylodon'', the mountain salamanders or Middle Eastern stream salamanders, is a genus of salamanders in the family Hynobiidae The Asiatic salamanders (family Hynobiidae) are primitive salamanders found all over Asia, and in European Ru ...
salamander is endemic to Paghman. The Kabul River, the only large river in the Kabul province, is fed by springs and snow-melt runoffs from Paghman. There is also a canal system, in need of repair, which extends from Paghman to Tapa. There are several villages in the district, including Khaldari, Bektoot, Adam Khel Kala, Hatam Kala, Seeno Kala, Mullah Khel Kala, Muhabbat Khan Kala, Lachi Khel Kala, and Pajakk Tappa.


Climate

Paghman has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification ''Dsb''). The average temperature for the year in Paghman is . The warmest month on average, is July with an average temperature of . The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of .


Economy

Agriculture, labour work,
animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...
and employment in Kabul are the major sources of income.


Notable natives

The locality was traditionally the family seat of the Paghman saadat most noted for its famous descendant Idries Shah. Prominent Paghman natives include some leaders of Loya Jirgas, tribal chiefs, a president, and one king. * King Amanullah Khan - Known as a reformist, Amanullah Khan ruled Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929. * PDPA General Secretary
Hafizullah Amin Hafizullah Amin (Pashto/ prs, حفيظ الله امين; 1 August 192927 December 1979) was an Afghan communist revolutionary, politician and teacher. He organized the Saur Revolution of 1978 and co-founded the Democratic Republic of Afghanist ...
- Hafizullah Amin was the second leader of
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), ''Hezb-e dimūkrātĩk-e khalq-e Afghānistān'' was a Marxist–Leninist political party in Afghanistan established on 1 January 1965. Four members of the party won seats in the 1965 Afgha ...
(PDPA), after he murdered
Nur Muhammad Taraki Nur Muhammad Taraki (; 14 July 1917 – 9 October 1979) was an Afghan revolutionary communist politician, journalist and writer. He was a founding member of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) who served as its General Secret ...
during the period of the communist
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA),, renamed the Republic of Afghanistan, in 1987, was the Afghan state during the one-party rule of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) from 1978 to 1992. The PDPA came to power ...
. *
Abdullah Wardak Mohammad Jan Abdullah Wardak (1954 or 1955 – 13 September 2008) was an Afghan politician and former Mujahideen commander. He served as a government Minister and Governor of Logar Province. Biography Abdullah Wardak, an ethnic Pashtun, w ...
, the late governor of Logar Province, was assassinated in an attack by the Taliban on his
motorcade A motorcade, or autocade, is a procession of vehicles. Etymology The term ''motorcade'' was coined by Lyle Abbot (in 1912 or 1913 when he was automobile editor of the ''Arizona Republican''), and is formed after ''cavalcade'', playing off of ...
near Paghman in September, 2008. * Sayed Omer Muneeb, was the minister of higher education between 1992 and 1996. He was a lecturer at Kabul University and also served as a member of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.


Sister cities

*
Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, since January 2005 after joining Sister Cities International.


Gallery

NO-NB BLDSA GM2a320n.jpg, Mosque in Paghman, 1924 NO-NB BLDSA GM2a318n.jpg, The valley beyond Paghman, 1924 NO-NB BLDSA GM2a322n.jpg, A brass band in Paghman, 1924 Paghman garden stone.jpg, A stone in one of the gardens Paghman garden fountain.jpg, A fountain in one of the gardens Paghman gardens.jpg, Monument Paghman monument.jpg, Monument Script-of-Arch-de-Triumph.jpg, The wall of the Victory Arch Pagman arch - 08-12-2008.jpg, An ISAF soldier standing by the ruins of the Victory Arch in 2004, before its renovation Paghman2.jpg, The historic mosque and memorandum after being destroyed by the war Emblem of Amanullah khan.jpg, Emblem of King Amanullah Khan Paghman - panoramio.jpg, Localler selling
Afghan bread Naan ( fa, نان, nān, ur, , ps, نان, ug, نان, hi, नान, bn, নান) is a leavened, oven-baked or tawa-fried flatbread which is found in the cuisines mainly of Western Asia, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Ma ...
in the market


See also

*
Tourism in Afghanistan Tourism in Afghanistan is regulated by the Ministry of Information and Culture. There are at least 350 tourism companies operating in Afghanistan. Tourism was at its peak before the 1978 Saur Revolution, which was followed by the decades of war ...


References


Citations


Sources

* Leon B. Poullada: "Reform and Rebellion in Afghanistan, 1919-1929 -King Amanullah's failure to modernize a tribal society" Cornell University Press/Ithaca and London 1973 * Saira Shah: "The Storytellers Daughter" Michael Joseph ed. 2003


External links

*
Paghman (video)
(Pajhwok Afghan News, Nov. 17, 2019)
Paghman Gardens (video)
{{Authority control Populated places in Kabul Province Parks in Kabul Geography of Kabul Province Protected areas established in 1928 1928 establishments in Afghanistan Palaces in Afghanistan Royal residences in Afghanistan