Murad Khane

Murad Khane is a district of the old city in Kabul, Afghanistan. It lies near the Kabul River

History

The origins of the city lie in its development in the 18th century by Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire. As a result of decades of conflict in Afghanistan, Murad Khane was inundated with massive amounts of garabage. As part of this development, many ornate structures were constructed to serve as housing for members of the Qizilbash tribe. The 1920's saw the construction of buildings with elaborately carved wood. Soviet modernization efforts in 1975, neglect and civil war have threatened and destroyed many buildings in the area.^[1]

Threats

The area has been in decline as a result of weather, war, neglect, and unsustainble development. Despite these threats, "Murad Khane retains much of its original fabric with a network of small streets connecting the bazaar, religious structures, caravanserai and houses in a layout that represents the area's unique ties to Islamic design and nearly four hundred years of Afghan history."^[2]

Conservation

The total cost of complete preservation and maintenance for Murad Khane is estimated at $4.9 million.^[3]

In 2006, the Turquoise Mountain Foundation began restoration work within Murad Khane, headed by Rory Stewart.^[4] As of 2008, the organization had already removed 10,500 cubic yards of garbage and have provided 50 damaged homes with restoration and repair work. ^[5] Reconstruction work has focused on traditional Afghan techniques, including training local people in the traditional styles of woodwork, calligraphy, pottery and jewelry making.^[6]

Notes

1. ^ Sardar, Marika (July 10, 2007). "Murad Khane". Kabul Press. http://kabulpress.org/my/spip.php?article767. Retrieved June 8, 2011. 
2. ^ Turquoise Mountain Foundation (July 2008). "Old City Regeneration". Nafas Art Magazine. http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2008/turquoise_mountain. Retrieved June 8, 2011. 
3. ^ Sardar, Marika (July 10, 2007). "Murad Khane". Kabul Press. http://kabulpress.org/my/spip.php?article767. Retrieved June 8, 2011. 
4. ^ Kvinta, Paul; Huey, Aaron. "Can Rory Stewart Fix Afghanistan?". National Geographic. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/photography/afghanistan/rory-stewart.html. Retrieved June 8, 2011. 
5. ^ Rondeaux, Candice (July 6, 2008). "Restoring Past Glory in Old Kabul". The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/05/AR2008070501839.html. Retrieved June 10, 2011. 
6. ^ "Education". Turquoise Mountain. http://www.turquoisemountain.org/education.html. Retrieved June 8, 2011. 

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