One of the most interesting things about the Wakhan Valley was the design of private homes. We had the chance to see a couple of houses in Vrang and Langar. The 2004 Lonely Planet Central Asia guidebook gives this description:

They’re built as one large five-pillared room with raised areas around four sides of a central pit. There are few, if any, windows; illumination comes through a skylight in the roof, which consists of four concentric squares, representing the elements earth, fire, air, and water. Carpets and mattresses take the place of furniture and also serve as decoration along with panels of hand-colored photographs–the most prominent of which is often a portrait of the Aga Khan.

 

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Related Post: Hidden Gems: Tajikistan’s Pamirs and Wakhan Corridor