The mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the father of modern Afghanistan, stands at the heart of the old city — a blue-tiled dome above a structure that has been rebuilt and restored multiple times since the 18th century but retains its atmosphere of reverence. Ahmad Shah is not just a historical figure here; he is a founding ancestor, and Pashtuns from across the region make pilgrimage to pay respects.
The complex also contains the adjacent Khirqa Sharif — the Shrine of the Cloak of the Prophet Muhammad, one of the holiest sites in the country. Non-Muslim visitors are not admitted to the shrine itself, but the exterior and the surrounding old city streets can be seen. The two sites together form Kandahar's sacred centre.