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The Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan

12/01/2001 16:59:31

Unique ID UN7524936

The Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan

12/01/2001 16:59:17

Unique ID UN7524941

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Headline The Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan

Caption Description The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two giant Buddhas (53 m. and 38 m. high, respectively) that stood in the Bamiyan valley northwest of Kabul. The caravans on the Silk Route invariably made a stop in this valley. It was one of the major Buddhist centers from the second century up to the time that Islam entered the valley in the ninth century. The two statues were hewn out of the rocks, probably around the fourth and fifth centuries A.D.

In March 2001, the Taliban regime destroyed the two Buddha statues, as well as the town of Bamiyan, and executed hundreds of ethnic Hazara living there. Shown is the now empty niche at Bamiyan that once held the largest standing Buddha statue in the world. [No exact date]

[This is an unprocessed archival image and not available for download. If you would like to use this image, please contact the UN Photo Library.]

Unique Identifier UN7524942

NICA ID 323382

Production Date 12/01/2001 4:59:14 PM

Country Afghanistan

Credit UN Photo/Luke Powell

File size 3.90 MB