Herat

The great mosque Masjidi Jami in Herat, Afghanistan. It was first built in the 12th century but has been rebuilt several times since, for like many of the historic sites of the city, it has been damaged by successive waves of war and conquest. Other important architectural features of Herat include the old city walls and gates, and the Islamic tombs.

Capital of Herat province, and the largest city in western Afghanistan, on the north banks of the Hari Rud River; population (2001 est) 161,700. A principal road junction, the city is 922 m/3,026 ft above sea level and lies in an area which has been the site of cities since the time of Alexander the Great and contains many ancient ruins and buildings, including remains of the ancient city walls and gates, a 15th-century mosque, and the tomb of the poet and saint Abdollah Ansari. Herat is now the marketing centre for an irrigated, fertile, and densely-peopled agricultural area in western Afghanistan, and its industries include handicrafts and textiles (such as carpets and silk goods), the production of hides, wool, cereal, and fruit, and the milling of oilseeds, flour, and rice, while Karakul furs are also an important item of local commerce.