Bamiyan
Our Work in Bamiyan
Turquoise Mountain is working in Bamiyan to preserve heritage, support the local community, and generate income for weavers.
How To Donate
Turquoise Mountain was established to revive historic areas and traditional crafts, to provide jobs, skills and a renewed sense of national pride. With your donation we can continue our work worldwide.
Turquoise Mountain is working in Bamiyan to preserve heritage, support the local community, and generate income for weavers
With its spectacular landscapes and rich remnants of ancient civilisations, the Valley of Bamiyan is at the centre of national and international efforts to revitalise Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. As part of our long-term investment to preserve Afghan cultural heritage, Turquoise Mountain is now working on an ambitious project in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Culture and the Governor of Bamiyan to safeguard built heritage, create economic opportunities, and build a new cultural centre for the local community.
This project is a new important step in Turquoise Mountain’s commitment to support Afghan people by providing jobs through craft production, improving the lives of local communities through economic opportunities, and changing perspectives of Afghanistan by sharing its rich history with the wider world.
Built Heritage
BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO THE BUILT HERITAGE OF BAMIYAN
Bamiyan was once a bustling centre of trade along the Silk Road, and many of its heritage sites provide insights into this fascinating past. The area has great future potential, and Turquoise Mountain is contributing to the wider revitalisation effort with the restoration of a 300-year-old Caravanserai in the village of Shashpul, bringing back into use a wonderful example of vernacular earth architecture.
Community
SUPPORTING THE CHILDREN OF BAMIYAN
Along with cultural preservation, Turquoise Mountain has always provided an integrated programme of community support in Afghanistan, which includes vital primary education. In Bamiyan, we run two schools that serve 120 students from pre-school to 20 years of age, providing them with quality general education and English training.
Artisans
CREATING INCOMES FOR WEAVERS
Turquoise Mountain is supporting weavers in the region of Bamiyan to strengthen their skills and facilitate access to new markets. Over the next few years, we aim to create thousands of jobs for artisans in the area and revitalise the handmade carpet industry in Bamiyan.
Products
Bringing hand-knotted Afghan carpets to clients worldwide
Turquoise Mountain works with the most talented carpet producers and weavers to develop custom-made, heritage-inspired carpets from Afghanistan. Our carpets are sold by retailers and designers in the US and Europe, and can be found in five-star hotels, museums, and private residences all over the world.