The “Buddhas of Bamiyan”, A.D. 591-644

DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE

Two colossal figures, standing 38m and 55m tall, and depicting Gautama Buddha carved into the red sandstone cliffs of the Hazarajat region of central Afghanistan. The Bamiyan Buddhas were created in the 6th century CE, and stood for over 1,500 years as some of the largest rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the world, until their destruction in 2001.

The Buddhas, which were carved into niches in the rock faces of the cliffs, were accompanied by an elaborate series of over 300 caves and smaller niches which historically served as sanctuaries for devotees. These caves also contained additional smaller buddha figures and wall paintings.

Construction of the two standing Buddhas began in the 6th century CE and likely took several decades.

In the seventh century CE, Chinese monk Xuanzang wrote of his travels to Bamiyan, describing the site of the Buddhas as a bustling center with dozens of monasteries and thousands of monks!

In March of 2001, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar ordered the destruction of the Buddhas, which was subsequently carried out using explosives.
Over their long history, the Bamiyan Buddhas have come to be beloved pieces of Afghan history, both by Afghans and people around the world. Despite the senseless acts of destruction, all is not lost.