Murad Khane is unique, and was listed on the World Monuments Fund Watch List as one of the last remaining sites of such a traditional urban environment.
Murad Khane is a traditional residential quarter built in the shadow of the Royal Palace for merchants and royal courtiers in the late 18th century. Timber framed houses with earthen walls and decorative cedar shuttering are arranged around private courtyards and accessed via a traditional Islamic street pattern providing for privacy, family life, and commerce.
To conserve the historical richness contained in Murad Khane's buildings, Turquoise Mountain has engaged in a wide-ranging architectural conservation project, restoring over 65 historic buildings, such as the Great Serai, the House of Double Columns, and the Peacock House, along with private homes and the traditional bazaar street. Alongside the conservation of traditional buildings, Turquoise Mountain is building a number of new buildings, combining traditional Afghan building techniques with those of modern earth construction.
