Herat Citadel - Ancient Alexandria Ariana

The Herat Citadel, also known as Qala Ikhtyaruddin, is one of the most iconic historical landmarks in Herat. Its history dates back over 2,000 years and is believed to have been originally built after the arrival of Alexander the Great around 330 BCE, when the city was known as Alexandria Ariana.

The Herat Citadel, also known as Qala Ikhtiyaruddin, is one of the oldest and most important fortresses in Afghanistan. Originally built during the Achaemenid period, it has been rebuilt and restored many times by different empires. Important about that…. 1 The citadel contains towers, thick ancient walls, and restored historical rooms. 2 Today, it functions as a cultural and historical museum.

It is one of the most beautiful and historical, every part here is amazing, it has several floors built with bricks and it tells the story of a rich culture, the structure of this place tells the story of that time, the people who have built were really intelligent.

While on a business trip in 2013, I had the privilege of taking a private tour of the Herat Citadel, and it was nothing short of spectacular. This massive fortress is not just a structure but a surreal journey through layers of history. Each stone and pathway tells a story, beautifully preserved and presented. I’m truly grateful for the chance to experience such an amazing piece of history up close. Highly recommended for history buffs and anyone visiting Herat.

I visited on March 28, 2019; It's amazing! beautiful ancient building I've never seen something like that before. It's great, many nice spaces, doors and windows from 700 years ago. There are some guides to ask from around the place. It's worth seeing and think about the life style of emperors and kings in the past. There is also the national museum inside the citadel that should be separately paid to watch and another separate payment to take photos.

Spectacular sites, amazing tiling of the northwest tower, inspiring history.

Very cool to see but had to take away a star because it was not open til 4 A.M. like was posted— sorry. Please change the hours to the correct time.

The citadel was fantastic. Had a great time took alot of beautiful photos. My personel review is 4