Bala Hissar is a citadel located in Kabul, Afghanistan. It
can be literally translated as "fortress built on the top of a hill", and it was built in the
5th century B.C.
Bala Hissar Historical Facts
Bala Hissar stands at a height of only 46 meters (150 feet) on the plains
surrounding Kabul.
Bala Hissar Fort was partially destroyed during the
Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) but was later rebuilt.
From 1939, Bala Hissar served as a military college until bombing destroyed
it again.
In 1979 Bala Hissar was the site of a riot organized by the Afghanistan
Liberation Organization, but that riot was suppressed.
Besides witnessing many turbulent periods in Afghanistan’s history, the
fortress was once the residence of famous emperors like Babur and Timor Lang. Its walls rise to
a height of seven meters (23 feet) and are about four meters (12 feet) thick.
Bala Hissar Fort Today
It has large swimming pools and is now being renovated for foreign
dignitaries as a government guesthouse.
Bala Hissar Map&Location
Geographic Coordinates: 34.505556, 69.191667
Directions: Qale'H-Ye-Balahissar, A1, Kabul, Afghanistan 194 m N.
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