The Minaret of Jam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Afghanistan, located in a remote and nearly inaccessible mountainous region next to Hari Rud River. The 62-meter high minaret was built between 11th and the 13th century as a symbol of Islam’s victory, and its architectural design inspired the Qutb Minar in New Delhi, India. It’s curious why such a civilization gem was built tucked in very remote mountains like this. It’s believed that the minaret is the remnants of the lost kingdom of Firuzkoh (“Turquoise Mountains”).
Minaret of Jam, Afghanistan, 2006