Lashkari Bazar

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 Show map of Afghanistan Lashkari Bazar Lashkari Bazar (Continental Asia) Show map of Continental Asia
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, frescoes and carved marble panels.^[3] A large market street about 100 meters long, a bazaar, joins the palace structure.^[3]

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

The 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.

Paintings from Lashkari Bazar

• 
  Ghaznavid figures in the wall paintings from Laškarī Bāzār
• 
  Painting from the Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar
• 
  Portrait from the Southern Palace courtroom, Lashkari Bazar.^[7]