Eye of the Buddha

View from one of the caves of the large Buddha statue to the Bamiyan Valley. The Buddha statues of Bamiyan were two monumental figures carved into the rock in present-day Afghanistan, created in the 6th century. They were considered important testimonies of Buddhist art in Central Asia. In March 2001, they were blown up by the Taliban despite worldwide protests, as they were considered "un-Islamic". The destruction was an act of cultural barbarism that was internationally condemned as a great loss for the World Heritage Site. Today, the empty niches stand as a memorial against religious fanaticism and for the protection of cultural heritage. | Afghanistan