Arg, Kabul
The Arg (, ; meaning "citadel") is the presidential palace of Afghanistan, in Kabul. Since the presidency was abolished in 2021, it has served as the meeting place of the Cabinet of Afghanistan. It sits on a site in District 2, between Deh Afghanan and the affluent neighborhood of Wazir Akbar Khan. It has been used by many Afghan heads of state, from Emir Abdur Rahman Khan to President Ashraf Ghani. The Arg was built after the destruction of the Bala Hissar in 1880. Its foundation was laid by Abdur Rahman Khan. After 2021 fall of Kabul, the Arg was  captured by the Taliban. History. The foundation of the Arg was laid by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in 1880 after assuming the throne. It was designed as a castle with a water-filled trench around it. Abdur Rahman Khan named it "Arg-e-Shahi" (Citadel of the King) and included, among other buildings, a residence for his family, an army barracks, and the national treasury. Previously, the Bala Hissar served as the citadel or the headquarters of the emirs until it was destroyed by the Frontier Force Regiment during the Second Anglo-Afghan war (1878–80). The Arg has served as  the royal and presidential palace for all of the kings and presidents of Afghanistan. Hafizullah Amin also used Tajbeg Palace as the residence for his family. It has undergone modifications and revitalization under the different rulers. During the 1978 Saur Revolution, General Mohammed Daoud Khan and his family were assassinated by members of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) inside the Arg. On 15 August 2021, following the 2021 Taliban offensive and the near seizure of the capital, the Taliban occupied the Arg after president Ashraf Ghani fled the country purportedly for peace and to avoid bloodshed. The  Taliban has since been using the Arg to hold meetings of the Cabinet of Afghanistan, except those chaired by the leader of the Islamic Emirate, which are held in Kandahar. Construction. The Arg (up to 15 August 2021) consisted of the following: See also. Other palaces in Kabul: