Arg (Kabul)
The Arg serves as the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. It sits on a site in District 2, between Deh Afghanan and the affluent neighbourhood of Wazir Akbar Khan. The Arg was built after the destruction of the Bala Hissar in 1880 by the British Indian troops. It has been used by many Afghan kings and presidents, from Emir Abdur Rahman Khan to current President Ashraf Ghani.History
The foundation of the Arg was laid by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in 1880 after assuming the throne. It was designed as a castle with water-filled trench around it. Abdur Rahman Khan named it Arg-e-Shahi and included among other buildings a residence for his family, army barracks, and the national treasury. Previously, the Bala Hissar served as the citadel or the headquarters of the emirs until it was destroyed by the British Indian troops during the Second Anglo-Afghan war.
The Arg has served as the royal and presidential palace for all of the kings and presidents of Afghanistan. However, Hafizullah Amin also used Tajbeg Palace as the residence for his family. It has undergone modifications and revitalization under the different rulers. During the 1978 Saur Revolution, Mohammed Daoud Khan and his family were assassinated by members of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan inside the Arg.
The Arg today consists of the following:
