Babur Garden: A Mughal Oasis in Kabul

Bagh-e Babur, also known as the Gardens of Babur, is a significant historical site in Kabul, Afghanistan [2, 17]. Located on the slopes of the Sher Darwaza hillside, southwest of Shahr-e Naw, this garden was established by the first Mughal Emperor, Babur, in the early 16th century [2, 8, 11]. The garden is one of the oldest surviving Mughal gardens, laid out in the classic charbagh (four-garden) pattern, featuring terraced lawns and a central watercourse [4, 11, 18].Babur, who had a deep love for nature, personally designed and oversaw the creation of at least ten gardens in Kabul [4, 8, 17]. After his death in 1530, he was buried in the garden, making it a symbolic place for the Mughal dynasty [2, 3, 4]. Over the centuries, the garden has been re-developed by various Afghan rulers [2]. In 1607, Jahangir ordered that all gardens in Kabul be surrounded by walls, a prayer platform be constructed in front of Babur's grave, and an inscribed headstone placed at its head [2, 17]. Shah Jahan erected a marble screen around the tomb and built a mosque on the terrace below in 1638 [2].In the 1930s, the garden was converted into a public recreation space with pools and fountains [3, 10]. After suffering heavy damage during the Afghan Civil War (1992-1996), the Aga Khan Trust for Culture began a restoration project in 2002 [2, 5, 11]. Today, visitors can explore the meticulously restored gardens, which include various trees, plants, and flowers, as well as water channels and fountains [9]. Key features include Babur's tomb, a white marble mosque built by Shah Jahan, and a caravanserai planned to open as a visitor center [2, 8, 11]. The garden also hosts cultural and artistic festivals [3].