Lashkari Bazar (Persian: لشگری بازار "Military market", locally known as Persian: کھنه قلعه Qala-e-Kohna "Old castle") was a palatial residence of rulers of the Ghaznavid Empire, located in Lashkargah in Afghanistan. The original name was probably al-'Askar.[3]

Lashkari Bazar
Archeological site
Ruins of the Ghaznavid Palace of Lashkari Bazar, in Lashkargah (the South Palace, seen from the north).[2]
Lashkari Bazar Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 31.565961°N 64.350822°E / 31.565961; 64.350822
Country	Afghanistan
Province	Helmand

History

Some structural elements of the site date to the Parthian period.[3] The Center palace (32x52 meters) is thought to be dating from the Samanid period (819-999 CE).[3] The area had been conquered by the Arabs as early as 661 CE, and developed to become a large and wealthy city.[4]

The very large South Palace (170x100 meters) was probably founded by Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030 CE), and expanded by his son Masud I (1030-41 CE).[3][5][6][4] The palaces in Lashkari Bazar were the winter retreat of the Ghaznavid rulers, whose capital was in Ghazni.[4] The South Palace was richly decorated with stucco, paintings, frecoes and carved marble panels.[3] A large market street about 100 meters long, a bazar, joins the palace structure.[3]

The Northern palace was constructed by later rulers.[4][3]

The later Ghurid dynasty sacked the palaces in 1151 CE, but later restored them, and some portions of the architecture are attributed to them.[4][3] They built the fortress of Qala-e-Bost about 7 kilometers to the south, together with an architectural arch.

Recently the ruins have been invested by Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban violence.[7]

Paintings from Lashkari Bazar

• 
  Ghaznavid figures in the wall paintings from Laškarī Bāzār
• 
  Painting from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar
• 
  Portrait from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar

References

This article about a building or structure in Afghanistan is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e