History and Culture of the Silk Road City: Bamiyan, Afghanistan

History

The Afghan city of Bamiyan was famed for centuries as a center of commerce and philosophy.� Its position on the Silk Road between the Roman Empire and China brought throngs of travelers to this spectacular mountain valley.� For centuries, it was especially renowned for its towering Buddhist statues, one of which was the tallest in the world.� More recently, it became famous when these treasures were destroyed.� In 2001, the Taliban toppled the two colossal Buddhas with dynamite and munitions, because they were "false idols" contrary to Islam.� The statues, rare examples of Greco-Buddhist art, had survived the invasion of Genghis Khan in 1221 and inspired awe in millions of pilgrims, but international outcry could not stop the Taliban from reducing them to rubble.� They were carved out of the mountainside in the 6th century A.D. and were once part of a thriving monastic community, with hundreds of Buddhist monks living in nearby caves and grottoes.� When the Chinese traveler Hsuen Tsang saw the Buddhas in 632, he marveled at the huge painted figures, decorated with gold and precious gems, and declared them "dazzling to the eye." �The mindless destruction of the Buddhas marked a low point in crimes against art and antiquity.

Landscape

Bamiyan is located in central highlands of Afghanistan, in a majestic valley between the Hindu Kush and Kohe baba mountain ranges.� At an altitude of over 8,000 feet, its winters are cold. Nearby, the five lakes of Band-e Amir are one of the country's most beautiful natural wonders.

People and Culture