Bamyan (
Bamyan), also spelled
Bamiyan and
Bamian, is the capital of
Bamyan Province in central
Afghanistan. With an altitude of about 2,550 m and with a population of about 61,863, Bamyan is the largest town in the central Afghan region of
Hazarajat, and lies approximately 240 kilometres north-west of
Kabul, the national capital. Bamyan was the site of an early
Hindu–
Buddhist monastery from which Bamyan takes its name (
Sanskrit varmayana, "coloured"). Bamyan's name is translated as
‘The Place of Shining Light’. Many statues of Buddha are carved into the sides of cliffs facing Bamyan city. In 2008, Bamyan was found to be the home of the world's oldest oil paintings. The city of Bamyan has a population of 39,915 (in 2015). it has 4 districts and a total land area of 3,539 Hectares. The total number of dwellings in this city are 4,435 .