Herat's place in history has often been overlooked in favour of Samarkand and Bukhara, but its inhabitants are proud of their past and the city’s reputation as a place of culture. Although many of the monuments to Herat’s glorious past are in a sorry state, ruined by British and Russian invaders, the city is still the most rewarding sightseeing location in Afghanistan. With its Friday Mosque the city still possesses one of the greatest buildings in the Islamic world, while the Old City is one of the few in Afghanistan to retain its medieval street plan.

(more at the LP link)