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
Afghan 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,
Mohammad 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
Supreme Leader, which are held in
Kandahar. == Construction ==