Buddhist Vihara

The Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur, 200 kilometers- northwest of Dhaka, was founded in the 7th century. It is the largest single Buddhist monastery in the Indian Subcontinent and also is known as the Somapura Mahavira, the Great Monastery. It was a renowned intellectual centre from the 7th century untill the 17th century. It's layout is perfectly adapted to it's religious function. This monastery-city represents a unique artistic achievment which has influenced Buddhist architecture as far away as Combodia. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1985 at the 9th session of the 21-member international committee.