ټول حقوق د منډيګک بنسټ سره محفوظ دي
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.
Because the Buddhas have already been destroyed, there is no threat of further destruction. However, future reconstruction could open the possibility of additional threats.
Since 2003, UNESCO has been implementing a plan for safeguarding the cultural heritage of the Bamiyan valley which has included consolidating the Buddhas niches, safeguarding the surviving artifacts of the destruction of the Buddhas, and maintaining the safety of the site through de-mining operations.
For more information on UNESCO’s protective efforts” https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/208
ARCH’s Role:
ARCH International was founded in the wake of the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, and ever since has been involved in monitoring the discussion and activities surrounding Bamiyan and its future. ARCH is currently researching possibilities for the full of partial reconstruction of the Buddhas as well as other activities/projects to bring greater awareness and appreciation to Bamiyan.
Drawings and photographs from the first ‘discovery’ by Western travellers, 1830s to the end of Soviet Occupation, late 1980s
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- © (source) ICOMOS
Content Related to this Document
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The Bamiyan Cultural Centre Design Competition. GDK Designs, 2015.