Thursday, April 3, 2014

Abandoned Places: Darul Aman Palace

The "Abode of Peace" was built in the 1920s by King Amanullah Khan to help bring Afghanistan into the modern age. Intended as the seat of parliament, it was part of a plan to build a new capital city. However, religious conservatives forced Amanullah out of power and halted his plans. The building sat used. In 1969, the palace caught on fire, but it was restored as the operating seat of the Defense Ministry... until it was set fire to again in 1978 during the communist coup. However, it was once again restored and used until the early 90s when it was heavily shelled by the Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion. It now sits as a gutted ruin, the modern future it was erected to usher in has never been seen.

Here's an added bonus:
The abandoned Dixie Brewery in New Orleans, Louisiana.
[The final four pictures are by Cody Allison and used under the Creative Commons License.]

And one more: the Devil's Slide, California bunker from World War II.

One more bonus!
FREE! today: indie writers monthly Vol. 1, Iss. 2
Go pick it up! Did I mention it's FREE!?
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22 comments:

  1. Sheena-kay GrahamApril 4, 2014 at 12:32 AM

    The Adobe of Peace did not live up to it's name at all. Well a future can be shelved due to lots of fires and a bombing. Yup definitely. Good ol Dixie is still better off than the other place in this post.

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  2. Alex HurstApril 4, 2014 at 3:46 AM

    The future it was meant to ring in, and the beauty of the building itself, are quite melancholy. Strange how quickly things can turn.

    Alex Hurst, fantasy author in Japan, participating in Blogging A-Z April Challenge.

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  3. Alex J. CavanaughApril 4, 2014 at 3:46 AM

    That was recent restoration - and all lost.
    The Dixie beer building looks rather clean and in decent shape. They should set up tours there.

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  4. JoApril 4, 2014 at 5:26 AM

    Isn't it sad how dreams are lost. It sure started off as a magnificent building and idea.

    Amazing a beer building going out of use. You wouldn't think that could happen. Where was Devil's Slide? You didn't say.

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  5. Luanne G. SmithApril 4, 2014 at 6:59 AM

    Great topic for A to Z. I use a lot of photos of abandoned places like that as inspiration for my novel. Amazing how fast things fall apart.

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  6. Rusty CarlApril 4, 2014 at 7:03 AM

    Can't wait to see what's coming next! I've wasted many hours staring at pics of abandoned places. Something about seeing them is brings out an emotional response in me. Awesome.

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  7. UnknownApril 4, 2014 at 7:28 AM

    What a lovely building. Too bad the country's so f***ed up that they've destroyed it twice. I love the art deco style of the Dixie Brewery lobby! :)

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  8. David P. KingApril 4, 2014 at 7:47 AM

    Cool place, but it seems time hasn't been very kind to it. :)

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  9. Cathy Olliffe-WebsterApril 4, 2014 at 8:11 AM

    I wonder if there's still some beer kicking around there?

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  10. AnonymousApril 4, 2014 at 9:04 AM

    Great pics, especially the Dixie Beer ones. I'll have to look that building up the next time in New Orleans.

    And I just downloaded a copy of 'Indie Writers Monthly'. :)

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  11. AnonymousApril 4, 2014 at 9:04 AM

    Great pics, especially the Dixie Beer ones. I'll have to look that building up the next time in New Orleans.

    And I just downloaded a copy of 'Indie Writers Monthly'. :)

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  12. Susan Gourley/KelleyApril 4, 2014 at 10:03 AM

    I don't think Afghanistan will ever have join the modern world because they can't stop fighting themselves. What a great dream to be crushed by violence.

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  13. Mark MeansApril 4, 2014 at 11:27 AM

    The palace reminds me of an old-school insane asylum, for some reason.

    The Dixie Beer place, looks very cool and awesomely retro.

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  14. Andrew LeonApril 4, 2014 at 1:25 PM

    Sheena: It probably is, though still not as majestic.

    Alex H: It is. And how short-sighted people can be.

    Alex C: The brewery's final blow was Katrina.

    Jo: Devil's Slide is in California.

    L.G.: It is. And how fast nature can take a place back.

    Rusty: There are some amazing pictures out there. And, even, books of pictures, which I didn't know about till I started doing this.

    Lexa: There's a lot of art deco in Louisiana. It's actually not something I've run into anywhere else.

    David: Time isn't kind to most places, I think.

    Cathy: Hmm... in New Orleans? Probably not.

    tina: How often do you get to New Orleans?
    I hope you enjoy the issue!

    Susan: I don't know. If enough people keep trying, maybe it will happen.

    Mark: Well... there might be some of those coming. Maybe... I'm not all the way through, yet, but I have been looking at some.

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  15. Crystal CollierApril 4, 2014 at 1:29 PM

    Wow. That "Abode of Peace" seems like a total flop. How sad. It looks like it would have been gorgeous.

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  16. Hart JohnsonApril 4, 2014 at 1:39 PM

    I love old decaying places. I'm not sure why exactly, but the connection to history is part of it. And maybe it is the storyteller in me--so much possibility.

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  17. Andrew LeonApril 4, 2014 at 1:50 PM

    Crystal: Yeah, it looks like it would have made a great place to visit. The inside, not just from a distance like now.

    Hart: There is a lot of possibility.

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  18. J E OneilApril 4, 2014 at 2:37 PM

    I bet the palace was beautiful in its time. I can imagine it just by looking at it. That Devil's Slide looks like it would make a good setting for a post-apocalyptic story.

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  19. TinaApril 4, 2014 at 5:03 PM

    Rather haunting to see such abandoned hopes and dreams, especially when it comes to political aspirations and such.
    Not to mention an unused brewery! What will the Beer Boys do???
    Enjoying this series. Hoping to come back and catch up on what I've missed...though I do have a project to finish first which I whine a lot about in tomorrow's post...aren't you looking forward to that?
    Tina @ Life is Good
    A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014

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  20. Andrew LeonApril 4, 2014 at 6:34 PM

    Jeanne: I think the Devil's Slide bunker would be a cool setting... for something.

    Tina: Evidently, they will go look somewhere else for their beer.

    There's not a lot of reading, right now, so, at least for a-to-z, you shouldn't have too much of a problem. If you're talking about before that, well...

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  21. Arlee BirdApril 6, 2014 at 5:59 PM

    I wonder if the Devil's Slide is anywhere near where I am. I've read about some WWII stuff around this area.


    Lee
    A Faraway View
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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  22. Andrew LeonApril 6, 2014 at 10:18 PM

    Lee: It's nearish where I am. We may plan a trip now that we know about it.

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