Around the World Series Asia: Pakistan - Taxila

Taxila is an ancient city with 2,500 years of history, and its Buddhist ruins date back over 2,000 years. It is a world-renowned center of Gandhara art and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Figures 1-9 show the Buddhist ruins of Dharamarajika, featuring the Dharmarajika Stupa, also known as the Great Stupa of Dharmarajika. This stupa is the most precious Buddhist site in Taxila and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend has it that Emperor Ashoka built this stupa to enshrine the relics of the Buddha. Though only ruins remain today, the solemnity and sacredness of the site can still be felt. The Dharmarajika Stupa is the grandest ruin in Taxila. According to legend, this was once the site of Taxila's largest monastery. At the center of the complex stands a massive earthen mound—the remains of the stupa, said to have been the most magnificent Buddhist pagoda of its time, housing the relics of the Buddha. P6: The place where the Chinese monk Xuanzang once stayed. P9: An ancient Bodhi tree. Figures 10-15 depict the ruins of the Mohra Moradu monastery, where the stupa and monastery face each other in an orderly layout. The site preserves the most exquisite clay sculptures of Buddha in Taxila. Figures 16-20 show the ruins of Sirkap, also known as the ancient city of Taxila. The ancient city of Taxila—located about 50 kilometers northwest of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan—is a famous 2,500-year-old city. Its Buddhist ruins, spanning over 2,000 years, cover 2,500 square kilometers and serve as a globally renowned center of Gandhara art, as well as one of the richest archaeological sites in South Asia. Chinese monks such as Faxian and Xuanzang visited this place. Taxila is also a world-famous archaeological site and was once a major Buddhist center. In 1980, UNESCO inscribed Taxila as a World Heritage Site.