Minaret of Jam

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A slender tower of patterned brick rises from an isolated valley in Ghor—one of the finest surviving monuments of the Ghurid era.

The decorated brick Minaret of Jam beside a river in Ghor Province

Photo: David Adamec, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5

A masterpiece in brick

The Minaret of Jam was built in the late 12th century during the Ghurid dynasty. About 65 metres high, its tapering shaft is wrapped in elaborate geometric brickwork, calligraphy and bands of glazed turquoise tile.

PeriodLate 12th century

HeightApproximately 65 metres

RegionGhor Province

The surrounding archaeological remains may be connected with Firozkoh, a Ghurid capital whose exact story continues to be studied.

Beautiful and vulnerable

The remote setting helped preserve the minaret, but also exposes it to flooding, erosion and earthquakes. UNESCO placed the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam on both the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2002.