Tajbeg Palace (Queen’s Palace) is located about 16 km from the center of Kabul, Afghanistan, and about 1 km away from the Darul Aman Palace.

Tajbeg Palace History

It was built during the 1920s under the reign of King Amanullah. Tajbeg initially served as the residence of the Afghan royal family.

Tajbeg Palace is the site where former president Haffzulah Amin was killed by the Soviets in 1979 at the time of the USSR war against Afghanistan.

Following the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets, Tajbeg served as the headquarters of the USSR army.

Currently, Tajbeg sits in ruins, but there are plans for rebuilding it.

Tajbeg Palace Location

Geographic Coordinates: 34.464953′ N, 69.119430′ E
Directions: Pul-e-Sukhta Rd, 189 m S, Kabul, Afghanistan

Tajbeg Palace Map

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History of Darul Aman Palace

Darul Aman Palace was established by King Amanullah Khan in 1920. It is situated 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the center of Kabul, close to another palace, Tajbeg

Darul Aman was originally intended to be the seat of the new Afghan parliament, but it never served as that.

Darul Aman is built according to a European neoclassical architectural style and stands on a hilltop. It was destroyed by fire in 1969 but later restored and used as a museum for a short period of time.

The Palace was taken over by the Defense Ministry and once again destroyed by a mujahideen (Islamic fighters engaged in jihad, or “holy war”) group during the civil war of 1990.

At present, Darul Aman Palace stands in ruins, although efforts are underway to make it the home of Afghanistan’s future parliament. As of 2011, the palace is still in ruins.

Darul Aman Location

Geographic Coordinates: 34.464953′ N, 69.119430′ E
Directions: Pul-e-Sukhta Rd, Kabul, Afghanistan 189 m S

Darul Aman Map

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Bala Hissar is a citadel located in Kabul, Afghanistan. It can be literally translated as “fortress built on the top of a hill”, built in the 5th century B.C.

Bala Hissar History

Bala Hissar stands at only 46 meters (150 feet) on the plains surrounding Kabul.

Bala Hissar Fort was partially destroyed during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) but was later rebuilt.

From 1939, Bala Hissar served as a military college until the bombing destroyed it again.

In 1979 Bala Hissar was the site of a riot organized by the Afghanistan Liberation Organization, but that riot was suppressed.

Besides witnessing many turbulent periods in Afghanistan’s history, the fortress was once the residence of famous emperors like Babur and Timor Lang. Its walls rise to a height of seven meters (23 feet) and are about four meters (12 feet) thick.

Bala Hissar Fort Today
It has large swimming pools and is now being renovated as a government guesthouse for foreign dignitaries.

Bala Hissar Location

Geographic Coordinates: 34.505556, 69.191667
Directions: Qale’H-Ye-Balahissar, A1, Kabul, Afghanistan 194 m N.

Bala Hissar Map

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