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Afghanistan's hidden wonderland

Tuesday, 03 September 2019 6:16 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 03 September 2019 6:16 PM ]

The site of the Buddha statues in Afghanistan that were destroyed by the Taliban (photo by AFP)

Amin Alemi
Press TV, Bamyan

The amazing province of Bamyan is considered as the heart of Afghanistan's tourist attraction.

The site of giant Buddha statues that were destroyed by the Taliban back in 2001 is the most attractive place for tourists from inside the country and abroad.

The ancient site of Buddhas of Bamyan that is a complex of statues and caves is the first destination for most visitors. The war over the past four decades has destroyed most of the caves that had been full of small statues.

Mohammad Hossain is a tourist guide. He explains how the giant Buddha statues were created between the 4th and 5th centuries.

The ruins of Shahre Gholghola or “the city of scream” plus Shahr-e Zahhak or "the red city" are other tourist attractions in Bamyan, which were ruined by Genghis Khan back in 1222.

Based on historical findings, 3,000 people were living in "the red city" or Shahr-e Zahhak but the army of Genghis Khan destroyed the city and killed all of its residents after his grandson "Mutuchen" was killed by the city's defending forces."

After visiting Shahr-e- Zahhak, it’s time to get to one of UNESCO's world heritage sites some 80 kilometers to the northwest of the city of Bamyan. Yes, here is the amazing Band-e-Amir complex.

Band-e-Amir was recognized as Afghanistan's first national park back in 2009. The amazing area is a complex of seven natural lakes and has many natural beauties to be visited.

High safety in Bamyan has created numerous opportunities for the province to be developed in various fields.

Foreign countries like Iran have implemented various projects in the province . For instance, the Bamyan- Hajigak highway was paved by Iran in recent years.

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