It was built in the 13th century surrounding the Ghazni town to form a walled city.

A lack of funds to preserve the site, heavy rains, and the country's ongoing civil war have further contributed to the citadel's collapse.

In 962, the Turkic slave commander of the Samanid Empire, Alp-Tegin, attacked Ghazni and besieged the citadel for four months.

Decades of war and continued political instability in Afghanistan have contributed to the deterioration of the fortress.

[7] In June, 2019 one of the fort's 32 original towers collapsed and was caught on video and posted to social media[3] sparking international calls for the Afghan government and international community to do more to preserve the country's cultural heritage.