Bamiyan, Afghanistan
The cliff where two giant Buddhas stood until 2001.
Terra Explorer Ancient wonders
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The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely.
- Region
- Afghanistan
- Position
- 34.8190, 67.8270
- Area
- 5 × 5 km
- Real elevation
- 2,474 to 2,759 m (285 m of relief)
- Printed size
- 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, about 1:33,300
- Heights
- 2× exaggeration
- Elevation data
- Open satellite data (SRTM and others), about 30 m per point
- Suggested color
- Desert
- Group
- Ancient wonders
About Bamiyan, Afghanistan
The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two monumental Buddhist reliefs in the Bamiyan Valley of what is now Afghanistan, carved possibly around the 6th-century. Located 130 kilometres (81 mi) to the northwest of Kabul, at an elevation of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft), carbon dating of the structural components of the Buddhas has determined the smaller 38 m (125 ft) "Eastern Buddha" was built around 570 CE, and the larger 55 m (180 ft) "Western Buddha" was built around 618, which would date both to the time when the Hephthalites ruled the region. In March 2001, both structures were destroyed by the Taliban following an order given on February 26, 2001, by Taliban leader Mullah Muhammad Omar, to destroy all the statues in Afghanistan "so no one can worship or respect them in the future". International and local opinion condemned the destruction of the Buddhas.
From Wikipedia: Buddhas of Bamiyan, text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. The article’s history lists its authors.
Questions about Bamiyan, Afghanistan
Where is Bamiyan?
Bamiyan is in Afghanistan at 34.8190, 67.8270. The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square around that point.
How high is the terrain in the Bamiyan model?
The land in this model runs from 2,474 to 2,759 m (285 m of relief). These are the measured heights, printed 2 times taller so the shape is easy to see.
Can I 3D print Bamiyan?
Yes. Download the free Standard resolution STL and print it on any FDM or resin printer. It is 150 mm wide and about 22.1 mm tall, on a solid 5 mm base, at a scale of about 1:33,300. It also works for CNC carving. Use Customize to change the width, base thickness or height exaggeration, make it round or add a name plate.
How accurate is the Bamiyan model?
It is built from real elevation measurements, not an artist's guess: open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point. The shaded picture on this page is made from the same data.
Is the Bamiyan model free?
The Standard resolution model is free as STL, 3MF, Colored 3MF, OBJ and a 16-bit heightmap. High resolution samples the place about ten times more finely and is a paid upgrade.
What is a Bamiyan terrain model good for?
People use it as a desk piece for history lovers, a classroom model or a gift for someone who has been there.
About this terrain model
Embossify Terra builds Bamiyan, Afghanistan from real measured elevation, not an artist's guess. Outside the United States the heights come from open satellite and survey data (NASA SRTM, Copernicus and national surveys), about 30 meters per point.
The model covers a 5 by 5 kilometer square centered on 34.8190, 67.8270. It prints 150 mm (5.9 in) wide on a solid base, a scale of about 1:33,300. The heights are exaggerated 2× so the shape is easy to see and feel; you can change that when you customize the model. The sea is flattened to zero, so land stands on a clean base.
New to terrain printing? Read how Terra works. The shaded picture on this page is made by Embossify from the same elevation data.