Last stronghold of the Incas

Machu Picchu is a large and ancient town set on a mountain in the Peruvian Andes. It has a world heritage listing which means, amongst other things, it has outstanding universal value. 

 "As the last stronghold of the Incas and of superb architectural and archaeological importance, Machu Picchu is one of the most important cultural sites in Latin America; the stonework of the site remains as one of the world's great examples of the use of a natural raw material to provide outstanding architecture which is totally appropriate to the surroundings.

 
The surrounding valleys have been cultivated continuously for well over 1,000 years, providing one of the world's greatest examples of a productive man-land relationship; the people living around Machu Picchu continue a way of life which closely resembles that of their Inca ancestors, being based on potatoes, maize and llamas

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Machu Picchu also provides a secure habitat for several endangered species, notably the spectacled bear, one of the most interesting species in the area. Others animals include: dwarf brocket, the otter, long-tailed weasel, pampas cat and the vulnerable ocelot, boa, the Andean cock of the rock, and the Andean condor."  Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC

See list of all 936 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.

Band-e Amir (Persian: بند امیر‎)

This is an area of great beauty with six deep blue lakes separated by natural dams made of naturally occurring travertine.

The lakes are situated in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Central Afghanistan. They are near the famous giant Buddhas of Bamiyan.

Band-e Amir is on the UNESCO World heritage list because of the rare nature of these lakes and is Afghanistan's first national park.

The lakes were made when carbon dioxide rich water leaked out from fractures to deposit the travertine walls that today store the water of these lakes.

 

 

Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan

Bamiyan Valley is located in Bamyan Province, Central Afghanistan.
It was part of the Silk Road and holds remains of many forts dating from various Islamic periods. "The Silk Road is a caravan route linking the markets of China with those of Western Asia. Until the 11th century, Bamiyan was part of the kingdom of Gandhara. It was the site of several Buddhist monasteries, and a thriving center for religion, philosophy, and Indian art. It was a Buddhist religious site from the 2nd century up to the time of the Islamic invasion in the 9th century. Monks at the monasteries lived as hermits in small caves carved into the side of the Bamiyan cliffs." WIKIPEDIA


Smaller Buddha photographed in 1977
note the size of the man at the left foot. Built between 544 and 595.

Bamiyan is renown for its huge statues of Buddha.  They were built by the Kushans, with the guidance of local Buddhist monks. Unfortunately many statues were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 but the good news is that it is now a World heritage listed site.
In addition to the ancient Buddhist remains, you should visit Bande Amir, a place with six picturesque lakes and a gorgeous landscape.


A View of Bamyan Valley Near the Big Budha Statue


I hope you enjoyed all the photographs here