Ghazni Minarets
The Ghazni Minarets are two elaborately decorated minaret towers located in Ghazni city, central Afghanistan. They were built in middle of the twelfth century and are the only surviving elements of the mosque of Bahram Shah. The two minarets are 600 meters (1968 feet) apart and lie in an open plain, north-east of Ghazni city.
Mas'ud III's minaret was at least 44 meters tall, before its cylindrical top half crumbled following an earthquake in 1902. It was built between 1099 and 1115 CE (photographic reconstruction). | |
Ghazni Location in Afghanistan Ghazni Ghazni (West and Central Asia) | |
| Alternative name | Mas'ud III Minaret & Bahram Shah Minaret |
|---|---|
| Location | Ghazni, Afghanistan |
| Region | Ghazni Province |
| Coordinates | 33°33′52.4″N 68°26′01.8″E |
| Type | Minaret |
| Height | 20 m (66 ft) |
| History | |
| Builder | Masud III, Bahram-Shah of Ghazna |
| Material | Bricks |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Endangered |
The minarets had a height of 44 meters in the 19th century, before the top half of both minarets crumbled in an earthquake in 1902. Now the minarets are about 20 meters high. Both minarets of Ghazni are 20 metres (66 feet) tall and built of fired mud brick. The surface of the towers are decorated beautifully with intricate geometric patterns and Qurunic verses on elaborate terracotta tiles. In the 1960s, both towers were fitted with sheet metal roofs in a limited preservation effort.
The ruins of the Palace of Sultan Mas'ud III are located near Mas'ud III's minaret.