One of the 36 towers of the ancient Afghanistan fortress Bala Hissar collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, Pajhwok news agency reported.
Bala Hissar was built in 11 century A.D. and is located near the city of Ghazni. The fortress is a monument of architecture and a UNESCO heritage site.
Local residents said the tower’s foundation was affected by continuing rains.
In 2013, UNESCO will declare Ghazni center of world Islamic culture. Architects are currently trying to preserve the city. Germany has allocated 2 million euros for the restoration of Bala Hissar.
In December, the site was spruced up and prepared for restoration works, which are scheduled for this spring.
Bala Hissar was the site of some of the bloodiest fighting in Afghanistan during the 19th century when Afghanistan came into conflict with the invading British during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1838–1842) and Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–1880).
