BABUR'S GARDENS:
Laid out by Babur, the founder of the Moghul Dynasty, in the middle of the 16 th Century, the gardens include a summer pavilion added by Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, a commemorative mosque built by Emperor Shah Jahan and the tomb of Babur himself. Babur died in Agra in 1530 but he so loved these gardens that he asked to be buried here, a wish which was fulfilled by his Afghan wife Bibi Mobaraka. 

Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, is a major trading center famous for Karakul, a great variety of traditional Turkman carpets and high-quality, long-staple cotton. The city is named for the magnificent shrine of Hazarate Ali, cousin and son-in law of Prophet Mohammed, the Fourth Caliph of Islam. Hazarate Ali was assassinated in 661 and buried at Kufa, near Baghdad. Local tradition, however, relates that his followers, fearing enemies may take revenge on the body, placed his remains on a white she-camel which wandered until she fell exhausted. On this spot the body was buried. All knowledge of the final resting place was lost until its existence was revealed and the great Seljuk Sultan Sanjar ordered a shrine built here in 1136. Genghis Khan destroyed this building and again the grave lay unmarked until a second revelation during the reign of the Timurid Sultan Husain Baiqara. He ordered an elaborate shrine constructed in 1481. None of the 15th Century decoration remains but modern restoration has returned the building to its original beauty. Thousands of white pigeons make their home there. Amir Sher Ali Khan lies buried here with other member of Amir Dost Mohammad's family. The largest tomb is that of the Amir's illustrious son, Mohammed Akbar Khan, who played a prominent role during the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1838-1842.
 
 Mazar-e Sharif is visited by countless pilgrims throughout the year and particularly on Nawroz (21 March) when the great Janda (religious banner) is raised to announce the beginning of spring and the coming of the New Year which is the most elaborately celebrated festival in Afghanistan. 

Balkh, today only a small town, is very famous for its glorious past. Zoroaster preached here sometime in 6th Century B.C. Rites at the shrine to Anahita, Goddess of the Oxus, attracted thousands during the 5 th Century and Alexander the Great chose it for his base in the 4 th Century B.C. Under the Kushans, when Buddhism was practiced throughout Afghanistan, many holy temples flourished in Balkh. The Arabs called Balkh Umm-ul Bilad, the 'mother of cities'. By the 9 th Century, during the rule of the Samanid Dynasty, about 40 Friday Mosques stood within the city. 

GHAZNI
Ghazni, an important market town, particularly famous for embroidered sheepskin coats, was the dazzling capital of Ghaznavid Empire from 994-1160 encompassing much of northern India, Persia and Central Asia. Many campaigns into India were launched from here resulting in the spread if Islam to the East. This glorious city was razed to the ground by Arab invaders in 869, by the Ghorid Sultan Alauddin in 1151 and by Genghis Khan in 1221.The city did not recover its former grandeur, however, it enjoys a strategic position in the country's economy. 

Guldara Stupa:
An interesting historical site of the 4 th Century standing on a platform having a square base with Corinthian columns; statues once occupied the niches. The walls present a fine example of Kushan workmanship known as diaper masonry. The stupa was originally plastered and painted ochre-yellow with red designs. 

This history of Herat has been one of repeated destruction and reconstruction. Conqueror after conqueror, from the time of Alexander the Great, has taken it, destroyed it and then rebuilt it. In the 4 th Century B.C. Alexander the Great built the fort which is still standing in the center of the City. From 1040 to 1175 the city was ruled by the Seljuks who defeated the Ghaznavids and destroyed the fortress. Herat was then captured by the Ghorids until the city fell under the control of the Khwarazm Empire. In 1221, Herat was taken by the Mongols and Tuli, the son of Genghis Khan, who ruled for a time, but the citizens revolted and killed the Mongol garrison chief. Extremely angered, Genghis Khan rode upon the city with 80, 000 troops and besieged it for six months, leaving only forty people living. In 1245, Herat was given to the Kart Maliks. Tamerlane destroyed Herat in 1381. However, his son, ShahRukh, rebuilt it and started the cultural renaissance which made it the center of learning and culture. During the Timurid rule, the famous poet of Herat, Jami and the miniaturist, Behzad were born, Queen Gawhar Shad's Musalla was built and Gazergah restored. For the second time in its history, the city flourished. In 1718 the Afghan clan Chief Hotaki, struggled for Herat's independence which continued until 1880, when finally the city became an integral part of Afghanistan.
 Photo Gallery of Herat's New face after the fundamentalist regime of Taliban
 Major Places of Interest in Herat: 

Istalif:
Istalif lies to the north of Kabul in the Koh Daman, a valley ringed by barren hills dotted with villages nestled within green orchards. It is one of the largest, most ancient and lovelies of all the valleys. Istalif is famous for its green and blue pottery and its picturesque bazaar. A visit to this place combines beautiful scenery with an introduction to Afghan Village life.
Belonging to the Shamali Plains, the area is famous for over 100 types of grapes. 

Major Places of Interest in Balkh:
The Madressa (college) of Sayid Subhan Quli Khan.
The ruins of the ancient city including the old city walls.
The Shrine and Mosque of Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa.
The tomb of Rabia Balkhi.
The Masjide No Gumbad (Mosque of the nine Domes)
This exquisitely ornamented mosque, also referred to Haji Piyada, is the earliest Islamic monument yet identified in Afghanistan.
 
Balkhi is the home of Rabia Balkhi, the first poetess of Islamic period and of Mauwlana Jalaluddin Balkhi (Rumi), perhaps the most distinguished Sufi poet. His Masnawi is considered as the greatest poem collection ever written in the Persian language. Balkh's glorious history closed in 1220 when the mounted men of Genghis Khan rode through and left it utterly devastated. The city, nevertheless, lying on an important trade route recovered under the enlightened rule of Shah Rukh and his Queen Gawhar Shad, of Herat. 

Mosques:
Kabul has many interesting mosque. The most famous ones in the center of the city are:
Masjide Pule Kheshti
Masjide Shahe Du Shamshira
Masjide Sherpur (Blue Mosque)
Masjide ld Gah
Masjide Sayed Majnun Shah.
Kabul Surroundings 

National Museum:
Located at Darulaman, contains an impressive collection of artifacts illustrating Afghanistan's past from prehistory to modern times. 

Paghman:
Paghman is the most favored summer resort of Kabul. The imposing victory arch, standing in the central square, was built by King Amanullah in commemoration of the War of Independence in 1919. The road passes by the Baghe Umumi (Public Garden) where tea and snacks are served. Returning to Kabul, one may pass by Kargha Lake with the Spozhmay (moonlight) restaurant and the Kabul Golf Course, established by Amir Habibullah Khan in early 1900s. 

Palace of Sultan Massoud III:
The very centre of the Ghaznavid Court is a vast complex including a throne room, government offices, soldiers' quarters, a mosque with its minarets and pockets of gardens in addition to the royal apartment. 

The Citadel;
One of the most imposing fortresses to be seen in Afghanistan, destroyed during the First Anglo-Afghan War, rebuilt, however, but never to regain its previous splendor. 

The Minarets:
The two remaining Minarets in Ghazni, built by Sultan Masoud III (1099-1114) and Bahram Shah (1118-1152), now only a fraction of their original height, served as models for the spectacular tower of Jam (built in 1194) which in turn inspired the Qutob Minar at Delhi. The intricate decoration is in square Kufic and Noskhi script, in addition to panels of floral and geometric designs. The minaret of Sultan Masoud is more elaborate.