Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan, A Witness of Early Buddhism
Bamiyan Valley is situated in the region of Hazarajat, central Afghanistan, at an altitude of about 2500 m. With an outstanding history and a strategic placement in the Middle East, the Bamiyan Valley is considered as one of the most visited places in Afghanistan.
The main reason that most people visit this valley are the “ruined Buddhas”, three colossal statues carved into the cliff of the mountain nearby during the Kushan period. Created in the 6th century by monks, one of the statues in the Bamiyan Valley was 53 m high and the world’s tallest standing statue of Buddha.
Beside these religious “footprints”, the surroundings have a lot of things to offer. For example, the area around the Buddhas is well known for its beauty and a walk around is a journey with outstanding views. There are also caves throughout the mountainside where some of the oldest oil paintings in the world have been discovered, representing an excellent proof regarding the cultural evolution in the Middle East through the past millenniums. If you are interested in more details about Bamiyan Valley, click Wikitravel.