What the architects in Bamyan are up to would make you happy

BAMYAN CITY (SW): The Bamyan City is a crossing point for a number of lush green villages in this central province. With beautiful landscape, the villages that surround Bamyan City are fabulous tourist attractions. The two masterpiece Buddha’s statues attract tourists from all over the world.

Among the most fascinating sites to visit in Bamyan include; the Buddha statues have always attracted attention. These statues, the 55 meters tall Salal and the 37 meters tall Shamamah, together with the City of Gholghola and Zahak, which is also named Shahr-e-Sorkh (red city) and Kafir Kala are mesmerizing. Also, the remains of cave homes in Qol-e-Akram Valley, Kala-e-Ghamai and Dara-e-Foladi are among the few sites enlisted by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as global heritage.

To preserve Bamyan’s ancient architecture, efforts are underway to prevent the modern architecture from destroying the beauty of the classic. The new buildings here are designed in line with the ancient architecture.

Mujtaba Mirzai, a specialist at repairing antiquities, has arrived here to fulfill his deep desire to reconstruct the old monuments in Bamyan. Mirzai, who currently lives in Germany, is a degree holder in this field. This Afghan has been repairing the post-World War II antiquities since 2006 in Europe. Mujtaba wants to revive the ancient Bamiyan architecture.

Speaking to Salam Watandar, he said that Bamyan, with its distinctive outlook should avoid adopting foreign architecture. He said to revive the ancient architecture in Bamyan, he would make sure that the city is not excluded of world’s cultural legacy list. Mirzai believes imitating the new architecture would leave a stain on the city’s long and ancient cultural background.

He says preserving Bamyan’s old architecture and cultural heritage would allow the city to remain a tourist point and entice more tourists in the future.

Mujtaba Mirzai is of the opinion that if the ancient Bamyan architecture is kept alive, Bamyan would soon enslist itself as an “exceptional city” in the region. He wishes to encourage ancient architecture in the city. To fulfill his wishes, Mirzai has been training 40 trainees for the 9 years in this particular craft.

Mujtaba tries to resuscitate the old architecture in the city. Also, in accordance with the new master plan for the city, new housing schemes are not allowed to be built in violation of the classic architecture. People, however violate these regulation despite UNESCO submitting  a number of complaints to the local government. 

ENDS