Band-e Amir National Park
The Band-e -Amir lakes chain (from Persian بند امیر, DMG Band-e Amīr, dam of the commander ') is located in the province of Bamiyan in the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan and consists of six lakes that are similar to the by Plitvice Lakes course resulting Travertindämme are dammed. Since 2009 they have been designated as the first national park of Afghanistan.
The Travertindämme develop where the water fell into ravines on a ground level or otherwise swirled and thus changing the pressure and temperature conditions of the river. This resulted in the precipitation of dissolved calcium in the water. Organisms as colonies of cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta, mosses and algae play a role hold the lime so that it was deposited as travertine dams formed.
The valleys were glaciated at least twice during the Quaternary, the dams were each produced in the warm periods.
The seven lakes
The individual lakes with their associated Travertindämmen have the following names:
- Band-e Haibat ( lake / dam of anger )
- Band-e Zulficar ( lake / dam of the sword after the epithet of the double-edged sword of Ali )
- Band-e Qanbar ( lake / dam of Qanbar )
- Band-e paneer ( lake / dam of the cheese )
- Band-e Gholaman ( lake / dam of slaves )
- Band-e Pudina ( lake / dam of Mint)
Not the actual chain of lakes is one of the location in the immediate vicinity
- Spot band ( Schüsselsee or Kess Staffelsee )
A former eighth lake has now dried up.
Legend of the emergence
When Muhammad, the founder of Islam, died in 632 AD, tore his father- in Arabia, the religious power. Ali, the cousin and son of the prophet, looked to many as a much worthier successor, on the other hand had to go into exile. The speculation about Ali's whereabouts led to the following legend: With his faithful servant Kambar Ali reached Afghanistan before Islam had gained ground here. In the Valley of Band-e Amir, the two were surprised by an evil prince, who wanted to capture it. Cursing Ali escaped over a mountain, whence he came down a stone upon his pursuers. The case of this stone caused a landslide, which in turn would be dammed up the flowing river, and led in this way to form a lake. This lake and the associated natural dam were named Band-e Haibat. With his sword Ali suggested going another boulder and created the Band-e Zulficar. At a sign from his Lord, at Kambar created the third lake by aufschüttete the Band-e Kambar. Then Ali threw several cheeses, giving it the women of the neighborhood had prepared, into the river and created the Band-e paneer. Slaves, Ali delivered them from the oppressive rule of the tyrant, created the Band-e Gholaman. The sixth and final dam Band-e Pudina formed when Ali fresh peppermint herb tossed into the river.
National park
The region is an undulating plateau at about 3000 m, which is cut from the canyon lakes. Some surrounding mountains reach up to 3700 m. In the area around the lakes there is a particularly extreme by the height continental climate. From November to March is continuous frost to observe the vegetation period of four to five months commencing from the end of the rainy season in May. Rainfall is low at around 300 mm / a and determine the steppe vegetation. The plane is characterized by steppe plants, especially Artemisia and spine pads dominate the picture. They are marked by the grazing of sheep and goats.
The rock of the region is dominated by sand-lime bricks, whose character of sandy- marly enough to clayey. The plateaus of the surrounding mesas are Schichtkalke or limestone conglomerates. The soils derived from weathering and have no distinct horizons. In humid places to waterlogging forms here can meadows with corresponding humus soils occur. Where the wetlands dry out, salt efflorescence are visible.
In the environment of lakes live Markhor and Urial, the fish fauna is heavily burdened by the practice of dynamite fishing with hand grenades. The government is hoping that occurred in April 2009 designation of the area as a National Park by an upsurge in tourism.