Balkh Province

Balkh Province

Balkh (Persian / Pashto: بلخ) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town. Its capital is Mazar-e Sharif. Hailed by Constantine and home to the famous and blue mosque, a Muslim holy place once brought to ruin by Genghis Khan, rebuilt by Timur, ruined again by the Soviets, and more recently the Taliban. Mazar-e-Sharif has for centuries been an important stop on the trade routes from the Far East to the Mediterranean and Europe. Mazar-e-Sharif today is a community rebounding, rebuilding, and once again will be an important center for trade and transit.