100 Essential Books on Afghan Architecture, Urbanism, and Cultural Heritage

100 Essential Books On Afghan Architecture, Urbanism, and Cultural Heritage

Afghanistan’s architectural and cultural history is rich and diverse, reflecting a tapestry of influences from various empires, religions, and civilizations over thousands of years. This list of 100 Important Books provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the depth and breadth of Afghanistan’s urbanism, history, art, architecture, and archaeology. From historical geographies and city planning to the exploration of ancient ruins and architectural styles, these works offer invaluable insights into the country’s Cultural Heritage.

1. Indigenous Architecture of Afghanistan (Szabo & Barfield, 1991)
2. Traditional Architecture of Afghanistan (Stanley I. Hallet, 1980)
3. Afghanistan: An Atlas of Indigenous Domestic Architecture (Szabo & Barfield, 1991)
4. The Archaeology and Architecture of Afghanistan (Edgar Knobloch, 2002)
5. Art and Archaeology of Afghanistan-Its fall and survival (Juliette van Karieken-Pieters)
6. Afghanistan Monument Millenaries (Bernard Dupree, 1977)
7. An Historical Guide to Afghanistan (Nancy Hatch Dupree, 1977) .
8. The Monuments of Afghanistan: History, Archaeology, and Architecture (Warwick Ball, 2008)
9. Urban Geography of Kabul: Changing Face of the Central and Western Part of Kabul 
10. Protecting the World Heritage Site of Bamiyan: Key Issues for the Establishment of a Comprehensive Management Plan (UNESCO, 2004)
11. Herat: The Islamic City – A Study in Urban Conservation (Najimi Abdul Wasay, 2002)
12. Development of Kabul: Reconstruction and Planning Issues
13. Vernaculer Architecture (Paul Oliver, 1997)
14. Islamic Art and Architecture (Richard Ettinghausen, Oleg Grabar, and Marilyn Jenkins-Madina, 2001)
15. The Timurid Architecture of Iran and Turan (Lisa Golombek, Donald Wilber, and Terry Allen, 1988)
16. Heritage and Life: The Old City Revitalization Plan
17. Islamic Architecture in Herat: A Study Toward Conservation (Samizay Rafi, 1981)
18. Kabul Eliel Burials: A Wounded Heritage (Bruce Wannell and Khadem Hussain, 2013)
19. Celebrating Traditional Crafts in the Old City of Herat
20. National Museum Herat: Area Antiquities Through Time (Edited by Ute Frank, 2009)
21. The Aga Khan Historic Cities Program- Afghanistan Preserving Historic Heritage (Philip Jodidio)
22. Keeping History Alive: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Post-Conflict Afghanistan (ICCROM, 2010)
23. The Architecture of Afghanistan (Author: B.H. Karpowicz)
24. The Archaeology of Afghanistan: From Earliest Times to the Timurid Period (New Edition by Warwick Ball, 2019)
25. Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present (Jonathan L. Lee, 2019)
26. Art Through the Ages in Afghanistan, Volume II (Hamid Naweed, 2013)
27. Afghanistan’s Traditional Architecture (Bechhoefer, 1989; Dupree, 1973; Hallet & Samizay, 1980)
28. Serai Lahori: Traditional Housing in the Old City of Kabul (Bechhoefer, 1975)
29. European and Afghanistan Architecture Adaptations (Dupree, 1977)
30. Cultural Heritage and Architecture of Afghanistan (Dupree, 2002)
31. Cultural Heritage of Afghanistan in Crisis (Nancy Hatch Dupree, 2006)
32. National Identity of Afghanistan Architecture (Issa, 2006)
33. Beyond Afghanistan and the Present: An Historical Overview of the Islamic Heritage of the Region
34. Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul (Fredrik T. Hiebert, Pierre Cambon, National Geographic Society, 2008)
35. The Excavations of Hadda (Memoirs of the French Archaeological Delegation in Afghanistan, Volume 4) (2006)
36. The Road to Balkh (Nancy Hatch Dupree, 1967)
37. Waqf in Central Asia: Four Hundred Years in the History of a Muslim Shrine, 1480–1889 (R.D. McChesney, 1991)
38. Herat: A Pictorial Guide (Nancy Hatch Dupree, 1966)
39. The Road to Kabul: An Anthology (1981)
40. The Road to Oxiana (Robert Byron, 1937)
41. Traditional Afghan Settlements (Watts, 1981) – Dissertation of Master’s Degree
42. Views of Afghanistan from Sketches Taken During the Campaign of the Army of the Indus (Sir Keith A. Jackson, Bar., 1840)
43. Views of Kabul and Environs from Pictures Taken by the Photograph School of the Corps of Bengal Sappers and Miners (British Library)
44. Sketches in Afghanistan (J.A. Atkinson, Esq., 1842)
45. Afghanistan, 1879–80 (British Library)
46. [Photograph Album: Afghanistan in the 1920s] (Kabul and other places, 1926)
47. The Duab of Turkestan: A Physiographic Sketch and Account of Some Travels (Author unknown, publication year not specified)
48. Forbidden Road: Kabul to Samarkand (Rosita Forbes, 1937)
49. The Bala Hissar of Kabul (Brigadier C.W. Woodburn, 1978)
50. Memoirs – Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. 2 (Author unknown, year unknown)
51. Flora of Afghanistan (Siro Kitamura, 1960)
52. At the Crossroads: Qandahar in Images and Empires (Author unknown, year unknown)
53. Afghanistan: Ancient Land with Modern Ways (Author unknown, year unknown)
54. British Occupation of Kandahar Album (Simpson and Benjamin, year unknown)
55. Greater Khorasan: A Discussion About Several Cities of Greater Khorasan (Ranjbar Ahmad, Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications, 1984)
56. Afghanistan (1980 Edition) (Louis Dupree, 1980)
57. History of Buddhism in Afghanistan (Prof. C.C. Upasak, 1990)
58. The Kingdom of Bamiyan: Buddhist Art and Culture of the Hindu Kush (Author unknown, year unknown)
59. Afghanistan (Hamilton Angus, 1906)
60. Berge, Pferde und Bazare (Herbert Maeder, 1961)
61. Afghanistan: A Cultural History (St. John Simpson, 2012)
62. Unter der Glutsonne des Irans: Kriegserlebnisse der Deutschen Expedition nach Persien und Afghanistan (Oskar von Niedermayer, 1925)
63. Jareeda e Balkh: Mushtamil Bar Tarikh o Jugrafiya e Balkh e Bastan o Bakhshi Az Bahr ul-Asraar (Muhammad Mo’min, Farsi, publication year unknown)
64. جغرافیه شهری / غلام جیلانی عارض
65. الاحصار کابل و پيش آمدهاى تاريخى
66. د افغانستان د ښارونو چاپېریالي پېژندنه / داکتر یار محمد
67. افغانستان در مسیر تاریخ / میر غلام محمد غبار
68. د افغانستان لنډ تاریخ / علامه عبدالحی حبیبي
69. له امو تر اباسینه (د ګنداهارا تاریخ)
70. مساجد تاریخی افغانستان / داکتر سید ضیا حسینی
71. شهکار معماری افغانستان قصر پغمان / داکتر سید ضیا حسینی
72. معدمه ای بر تاریخ معمار و شهر سازی افغانستان / داکتر سید ضیا حسینی
73. جغرافیای شهری در افغانستان – اروین گروتس باخ / سید محسن محسنیان
74. کابل ښار د پیړیو په اوږدو کې / لیکوال غلام جیلاني عارض؛ ژباړن نصرالله ناصر
75. جغرافیای تاریخی افغانستان / مؤلف میر غلام محمد غبار؛ باحواشی و تعلیقات فرید بیژند
76. ســـیـســـــتان مهد تمدن پنج هزار ساله / تألیف: کاندید اکادمیسین محمداعظم سیستانی
77. د وچو بڼونو او پارکونو معماری / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
78. د کابل ښار معماري – بي بي مهرو / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
79. د کابل ښار لومړی ګمرک اداري ودانۍ معماري / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
80. د خاورو لاندې ښار / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
81. په شلمه پېړۍ کې د هیواد نفوس / لیکوال محمد حسن سهاک؛ د افغانستان کلتوري ودې ټولنه
82. کابل: کابل دیروز، کابل امروز و کابل با فردای مبهم آن / غلام جیلانی عارض
83. د افغانستان تاریخي جغرافیه / پوهاند عبدالحی حبیبي
84. د کابل ښار اصلي معماري / داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
85. د هیواد لرغوني ښارونه او د تاریخ پاڼې
86. مناره‌های غزني گذشته و حال / داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
87. د چکریو منار / لیکوال کریم دورنیخ
88. نهه برجه کلا / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
89. د لرغوني غور استحکامي کلاوې او د هغوی تاریخي پېښې / پوهاند رازقي نړیوال
90. په سلمه سدی کې د افغانستان هنر / لیکوال علامه عبدالحی حبیبي
91. د غزنی شابهار او د باختر د بودایي هند سرچینه
92. د نارنج غونډۍ / لیکوال داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
93. معماری افغانستان / لیکوال وی. ان. کارڅیف، مترجم داکټر مهندس حشمت الله اتمر
94. باستان‌شناسی افغانستان از کهن‌ترین روزگار تا دوران تیموریان / لیکوال جیم ک. شفر
95. د افغانستان لرغون پېژندنه
96. باستان‌شناسی افغانستان از ماقبل التاریخ تا اوایل دوره اسلامی (هیأت باستان‌شناسی فرانسه در افغانستان)
97. افغانستان د تاریخ په رڼا کې / لیکوال استاد علی احمد کهزاد، ژباړن اورنګزیب ارشاد
98. افغانستان د تاریخ په تګلوري کې / لیکوال میر غلام محمد غبار، ژباړن پوهاند محمد بشیر دودیال
99. هلمند (جغرافیه، تاریخ، او کلتوري دودونه) / لیکوال محمد شفیق ژمن
100. د افغانستان لنډ تاریخ / لیکوال علامه عبدالحی حبیبي