Babur Garden: A Mughal Oasis in Kabul

Bagh-e Babur is one of the earliest surviving Mughal gardens, established around 1528 by Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, who had a deep appreciation for nature [4, 5]. The garden is located on the slopes of the Kuh-e Sher Darwaza mountain, southwest of Kabul [4]. Covering approximately 11.5 hectares, the garden is arranged into 15 terraces along a central axis [3, 4].Babur was initially buried in Agra, India, but his body was later moved to Kabul per his wishes [3]. His tomb is located on the fourteenth terrace [2]. In 1646, Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal, constructed a white marble mosque near the tomb [2, 10, 21]. Over time, the garden has been re-developed by various Afghan rulers [6]. In the 1930s, it was converted into a public recreation space with pools and fountains [2, 6]. However, the garden suffered significant damage during the Afghan Civil War (1992-1996) [11, 21].Extensive restoration efforts began in 2002, led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and local authorities [5]. Today, Babur Garden is a popular attraction, drawing visitors with its landscaped gardens, water channels, and historic architecture [3, 6, 7, 9]. Visitors can explore the caravanserai, a traditional roadside inn that now serves as a visitor center [3, 20]. The garden also hosts cultural and artistic festivals [3].