In the northern part of Afghanistan, tourists can visit Mazar-i-Sharif, a large city and the capital of Balkh province. The name of the settlement means “Tomb of the Prince” in the Tajik language. This is a beautiful and ancient city that is acclaimed as one of the sacred places of Shia Islam. While traveling in Afghanistan, tourists prefer to visit Mazar-i-Sharif and enjoy its calm and peaceful atmosphere. People in Mazar-i-Sharif have a steady and unhurried lifestyle. There is no place for urban stress here. For tourists, this means an opportunity to see local attractions comfortably. However, it is better not to visit the remote neighborhoods of the city alone. According to local legends, Mazar-i-Sharif was founded at the beginning of the 12th century. The Seljuk sultan Ahmed Sanjar ordered to build a new city. Right from its establishment, Mazar-i-Sharif got the status of a sacred city because it was built on the site where Ali ibn Abi Talib, the holy person for all Islamic people, was buried. In the 20s of the 13th century, Genghis Khan attacked Mazar-i-Sharif with his army. He nearly destroyed the city, tortured and killed many people. The rebuilding of Mazar-i-Sharif started only in the 80s of the 15th century. This is when the city turned into a popular destination for Shia Islam pilgrims. During the Soviet-Afghan War, which started in 1979 and lasted almost ten years, Mazar-i-Sharif became a military base for the Soviet Army. When the conflict ended, the
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