The Minarets of Herat: Majestic Remnants of the Timurid Era

By: Seyed Mohammad Reza Hashemi

The city of Herat, located in western Afghanistan, holds an important place in the history and culture of the region. It was once a major center along the Silk Road and served as a cradle of culture and art. Today, Herat contains nearly eight hundred historical buildings and monuments. Among these, the minarets of Herat have special significance.

When you enter the city of Herat, the first sight that captures their attention is the tall brick towers. The architecture and structure of these towers are different from any historical monument seen elsewhere. This distinction can be observed in their height, the materials used in their construction, and the azure-blue tiles that are slowly disappearing over time. These unique characteristics make the minarets of Herat unlike any other human creation.

The Minarets of Herat represent the peak of artistic achievement during the Timurid period (771–807 AH). They still stand tall as proud monuments in the city. Known as the “Jewel of Khorasan,” Herat reached its most flourishing stage in the 9th and early 10th centuries AH during the Timurid dynasty. During this time, the city became a center for the development of art, literature, science, mysticism, handicrafts, and architecture.

Historical sources state that Queen Goharshad commissioned and supervised the construction of these minarets in the late 15th century. This accomplishment has always been regarded as one of the greatest honors of Herat.

The Timurid rulers of Herat paid great attention to the construction of cultural landmarks such as mosques, monasteries, libraries, and educational institutions. Goharshad Begum, the wife of Shah Rukh Mirza, initiated the construction of the Musalla Complex of Herat in 820 AH. This complex included the Goharshad Mosque, the Madrasah and Khanqah of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, and the Great Mosque of Amir Ali Shir Nawa’i, among other buildings.

Today, only the tombs of Sultan Husayn Bayqara, Amir Ali Shir Nawa’i, and Goharshad Begum remain. The Musalla and the schools that were once part of the complex have completely disappeared. After the death of Timur, during the rule of Shah Rukh and later Sultan Husayn Bayqara and his vizier Amir Ali Shir Nawa’i, Herat became a vibrant artistic and cultural center due to the rulers’ strong support for art and architecture.

In earlier times, the minarets served as landmarks that guided caravans traveling toward Herat. They reflected the power of the Timurid rulers and their devotion to artistic and architectural beauty.

According to Wali Shah Bahra, a researcher of Herat’s historical monuments, the city suffered greatly after the death of Sultan Husayn Bayqara. The conflicts among his sons and the invasions by the Shaybanids and Safavids in 912 AH brought great destruction to Herat, especially to the Musalla complex. Later, in 1304 AH, at the instigation of the British, the complex was almost completely demolished. From this once magnificent complex, only ten tall and decorated minarets along with the Goharshad Dome remained.

Over the years, five of the ten minarets collapsed due to decay and natural damage. At present, five minarets still stand. The original height of the minarets was thirty-four meters, but because of the collapse of the upper parts, their current height is between thirty and thirty-two meters.

In recent years, during the republican period, cultural officials in Herat have repeatedly expressed concern about the possible collapse of the minarets. They have warned that without immediate restoration efforts, these historical monuments could be lost forever.

Officials from the Department of Information and Culture of Herat have stated that the risk of collapse has increased in recent years and that cultural and preservation institutions have not taken effective steps for restoration. According to these officials, at least ten million dollars are required to restore and protect the approximately eight hundred historical sites located in the province.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) previously announced its willingness to include Herat in the World Heritage List. The organization urged local authorities to stop unnecessary construction in the city and to close the road that passes between the historical minarets to vehicle traffic.

UNESCO also warned that if heavy vehicles continued to pass through the area, Herat would lose its opportunity to be registered as a World Heritage Site. In 2009, cultural activists in Herat wrote a letter to Hamid Karzai, the former President of Afghanistan, asking him to prevent further destruction of these monuments. In the same year, the Council of Ministers of Afghanistan decided to close the newly built road that passes through the historical area of the minarets to all traffic.

Although Herat has long been expected to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List because of its rich and diverse historical monuments, a lack of attention and care has prevented this from happening.

For several years, the Afghan government has been trying to register these monuments, including the Musalla complex and the old city of Herat, with UNESCO. In 2006, UNESCO held a seminar in Herat to discuss the main criteria for the inclusion of the city in the World Heritage List.

However, in 2007, during a UNESCO meeting in Paris, the effort to register the Musalla complex and the old city of Herat failed. The regional office of UNESCO in Kabul later explained that this failure resulted from the inability of the local authorities to properly protect and preserve the cultural heritage of Herat.