Buddhas of Bamiyan, Majestic Guardians of Bamiyan's Heritage
Buddhas of Bamiyan, Bazar To Kart e Sulh Village, Bamian, Bamyan, Afghanistan
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Introduction
Two standing Buddha statues in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan are considered as one of the largest standing-carved Buddha statues in the world, with the Eastern statue reaching a height of 37 meters and the Western one reaching 55 meters. Located on a cliff, they were possibly constructed between the 5th and 6th centuries as a masterpiece of Greco-Buddhist art. The statues have become local cultural landmarks and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Bamyan was once a center of religion, philosophy, and Buddhist art on the Silk Road and housed many Buddhist temples and small caves for monks. The murals and sculptures inside these caves were beautiful and colorful. However, both Buddha statues have been destroyed in the past. In an attempt to destroy the statues, Sultan Orangzeb used cannons, and in 2001, the Taliban regime ordered the destruction of all Buddha statues, including these two giant ones, which were ultimately destroyed by artillery fire. Today, the international community is helping Afghanistan rebuild these statues, which will continue to shine as world cultural heritage and contribute to human culture. Address Buddhas of Bamiyan, Bazar To Kart e Sulh Village, Bamian, Bamyan, Afghanistan
