In the heart of Kabul, near the Kabul River and surrounded by tall buildings and busy commercial centers, there’s a place that still smells of history — a place called Murad Khani. With its narrow, stone-paved alleys and traditional mud-brick houses, adorned with beautifully carved wooden doors and windows, Murad Khani feels like stepping back in time.
The story of Murad Khani goes back over 270 years. When Timur Shah Durrani moved Afghanistan’s capital from Kandahar to Kabul in 1775, one of his trusted companions, Murad Khan — one of the Qizilbash people and designer of the Ahmadshahi city in Kandahar — came with him. As a token of gratitude, Timur Shah gifted this area to Murad Khan. After that, this area has been known as “Murad Khani.”
Murad Khani was once a vibrant and important part of Kabul. It housed government offices, bustling markets, goldsmiths, and engravers. In 1919, King Amanullah Khan declared Afghanistan’s independence from Britain right in the central square of this area — now known as Murad Khani Square. It was also where the first Afghani banknotes were printed, and where the country’s first modern school was opened in one of its homes.
Sadly, the area was heavily damaged during the civil war in 1992, which led to the fall of the communist regime. Many of its original residents, mainly from the Qizilbash community, were forced to leave and migrate elsewhere.
Years later, between 2006 and 2010, a cultural organization called Firoz Koh launched a major restoration project. Thanks to their efforts, much of Murad Khani’s charm and heritage was brought back to life. One of the most stunning landmarks in the area is the Peacock House — a beautifully restored home with doors and windows carved in the elegant shapes of peacocks.
Today, Murad Khani is not just a neighborhood — it’s a living symbol of Afghanistan’s art, culture, and history. It has been recognized as a world cultural heritage site and is officially registered with UNESCO.
