Bamiyan
RockcutAsiaAfghanistan
Sandstone cliffs in central Afghanistan holding the niches of two monumental standing Buddhas (35m and 53m) carved into the cliff in the 6th century CE. Destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The surrounding cliff complex contains hundreds of meditation caves with painted frescoes still visible. UNESCO World Heritage as a cultural landscape since 2003.
Look Closer — this site carries open questions: stones heavier than the period's tools could lift; stones fitted without mortar, almost no gap. See scale across the Atlas →
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Walkthrough videos (1)
Giant Buddha of Bamiyan · Ageless Rock
Nearby sites
- Takht-e Rustam (Afghanistan)217 km
- Harappa663 km
- Mohenjo-daro835 km