Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Ruins of the Bamiyan Valley - (World Heritage in Afghanistan)

Brief Report

The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments from the 1st to the 13th century was marked antique Bakhtria, which various cultural influences in the Gandhara Buddhist art school. The area contains numerous buddhist a monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as reinforced buildings from the Islamic period. The site is also witness to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in march 2001.

Wonderful Universal Importance

Brief synthesis

Embedded between the high mountains of the Hindu Kush in the central highlands of Afghanistan, the Bamiyan Valley opens out into a large basin is bordered in the north by a long, high stretch of rocky cliffs. The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley consists of a serial accommodation consists of eight different locations within the Valley and its tributaries. Carved in the Bamiyan Cliffs are the two niches of the giant Buddha statues (55m and 38m high) destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. And the many caves which a large ensemble of Buddhist monasteries, chapels and sanctuaries along the foothills of the valley dating from the 3rd to 5th century C. E. In various caves and niches, often connected by galleries there are remains of wall paintings and seated Buddha figures. In the valleys of the Bamiyan the tributaries are other groups caves including the Kakrak Valley Caves, approximately 3 km south-east of the Bamiyan Cliffs under the more than a hundred caves dating from the 6th to the 13th century are fragments of a 10m high standing Buddha figure and a sanctuary with painted decorations from the Sasanian period. Along the Fuladi valley about 2km south-west of the Bamiyan Cliffs are the caves of Qoul-i Akram Has Been and Lalai Ghami, also with decorative elements.

Punctuating the center of the valley south of the large rock, there are the remains of the fortress of Shahr-i Ghulghulah. Dating from the 6th to 10th century CE, this marks the original establishment of Bamiyan as a stopover on the branch of the Silk Road, China and India through ancient Bactria. Further to the east along the Bamiyan Valley are the remains of fortress walls and settlements, dating from the 6th to 8th century at Qallai Kaphari A and B and still further to the east (about 15 km east of the Bamiyan Cliffs) Shahr-i Zuhak. Where the former remains are joined by developments from the 10th to the 13th century under the reign of the Islamic Ghaznavid and Ghorid dynasties.

The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments from the 1st to the 13th century characterised ancient Bactria, which various cultural influences in the Gandharan school of Buddhist art. The numerous buddhist a monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as reinforced structures in the Islamic period, witnesses of the exchange of Indian, Hellenistic, Roman, Sasanian and islamic influences. The site is also witness of recurring reactions to infectious, the most recent of which the international protest deliberate destruction of the two standing Buddha statues in march 2001.

Wide Report

The Bamiyan Valley is located approximately 264 km by road west of Kabul, closed in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush, in the central highlands of Afghanistan. The valley, at an altitude of 2,500 m, follows the Bamiyan River. They made one of the branches of the Silk Road and the beautiful landscape is associated with legendary figures. These factors have contributed to its development as an important religious and cultural center. It was occupied and partly urbanized from the 3rd century BC. The designated site consists of eight separate core areas, each with a buffer zone:

The Bamiyan cliffs on the north side of the valley are the two colossal niches which the large standing Buddha figures. The Kakrak Valley caves, approximately 3 km south-east of the Bamiyan rocks dating from the 6th to the 13th century. 

The Bamiyan cliffs on the north side of the valley are the two colossal niches which the large standing Buddha figures.

The Kakrak Valley caves, approximately 3 km south-east of the Bamiyan rocks dating from the 6th to the 13th century. • The main two important groups of the Fuladi Valley caves are the Qoul-i Akram Has Been and Kalai Ghamai caves, that important decorative elements.

Shahr-i Zuhak and Qallai Kaphari existence of fortress walls, towers, fortifications and earthen structures dating from the 6th to 8th century.

Shahr-i Ghulghulah is a fortified castle on a hill in the middle of the valley and dating from the 6th to 10th century AD.

The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments from the 1st to the 13th century was marked antique Bactria, where different cultural influences in the Gandhara Buddhist art school. The area contains numerous buddhist a monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as reinforced structures in the Islamic period. The site is also witness to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in march 2001.

Historical Data

The Sasanians controlled Afghanistan in the mid 3RD century, Central Asian nomads ruled in the 5th century; a coalition of Sasanians and Western Turks names the power in mid 6th century. The Silk road through Afghanistan, and has contributed to the spread of Buddhism from India in this region in the 1st century CE. The Kushans were patrons of the arts and religion, and were responsible for the introduction of Buddhist art in the Bactrian style which was influenced by Hellenistic art and Sasanians.

Islamic art and architecture were to Bamiyan in the 11th century CE, when the central part of Afghanistan was under the reign of Sultan Mahmud of Chazna (998- 1030).  The city Bamiyan was designed on the model of the Khorassan region of Iran. Under the regime of the Ghurids (1155-1212) the development including the reinforced settlements of Shahr-i Bamiyan (later Ghulghulah), Shahr-i Zuhak and Shahr-i Khoshak. The army of Genghis Khan ruined the city Bamiyan and looted the Buddhist monasteries in the beginning of the 13th century. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (1618-1707) ordered his army jumps out the legs of the big Buddha. The valley was abandoned for a long period, but at the end of the 19th century, the caves are inhabited and used as shelters for domestic. In 1979 there were more than 7,000 people in the city Bamiyan. From 1970, the area was used by the army. In 1990 was exposed to armed conflict. In 2001, the large Buddha statues were destroyed by the Taliban.