Americans Restore Historic Masjid

Afghan and American Officials at the Goldasta Masjid Ceremony in Kabul – May 19, 2010

The Goldasta Masjid in Kabul was built a long time ago, some sources claim about 800 years ago. While some of it was destroyed during the 1990s, its main structure withstood the decades of fierce fighting in Afghanistan. Last week, On May 19th, Minister of Information and Cultural Affairs Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, Minister of Religious Affairs and Hajj Khawas Khan Niazi, and U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry held a celebration marking the end of the the renovations to the masjid. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul provided $82,000 for the renovation of the masjid, and it took two years to complete the job.

“The process of restoring Goldasta Mosque [Masjid] not only brought a new community facility back to life, but it has contributed to the revival of traditional building crafts such as joinery and plastering,” said Ambassador Eikenberry. “Dozens of skilled workers and craftsmen worked on the project; the mosque [masjid] is a great example of their remarkable talents.”

The Americans had also completed work on the Khoja Rokhband Cistern in Herat and the Mullah Mahmud Masjid in Kabul. They are also funding restoration projects under way for the Shish Nal Masjid in Herat, Ulya Madrassa in Kabul, Noh Gonbad Masjid in Balkh and the Qala Ikhtyaruddin citadel in Herat.

May 23, 2010 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Reconstruction and Development