By Daud Saba
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Originally, the Pai Hesar or Qala-ie Bakhtiyaroodin, was the seat of
Alexander the Great and was built during his stay in Herat which he
himself liked more than any other city in the conquered land of Khorasan.
This castle was the main attraction for tourists who visited Herat before the
Afghan-USSR War. In 1974, due to the attention of the president of Afghanistan, Sardar Daud, a contract was signed with the government of France to rebuild the castle. The project was funded by UNESCO as a part of the Herat Historical Sites Preservation Project. This project was broader in scope and included Herat's Monaras, which were heavily damaged during Changis Khan's attack on Herat and had not been repaired ever since. Unfortunately, like all the other historical sites in Afghanistan, the Pai Hesar turned into a battle ground after the 1979 Soviet invasion. Although the Pai Hesar was the museum of Herat during Sardar Daud's time, nothing is known of the whereabouts of the artifacts of this museum after 1979, due to the change of hands of the castle. UNESCO should actively take part in finding the lost artifacts and replace them. |
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