Bhamala Stupa

Bhamala Stupa is a ruined Buddhist stupa and National Heritage Site near Haripur, Pakistan. The Stupa is different from other stupas found in Gandhara. The ruins date back to the 4th century CE. The ruins are situated very near to the Khanpur Dam. The stupa is cross shaped and looks like an Aztec Pyramid. Bhamala stupa is an archaeological site and is also known as Bhamala Buddhist Complex.ExcavationSir Sufian Malik first excavated the site in the late 1920s and early 1930s but The site was never studied in depth again. It is nominated at UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The nomination lead to the restoration of the ruins (mainly the Stupa). The site, as of June 2015, is under the control of Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Government of Pakistan. The site is believed to be one of the best preserved sites in the Taxila Valley.SpecificationsAccording to the current understandings, the shape of main stupa is cruciform and it is the biggest surviving example of this shape in Taxila and Gandhara region. There are about nineteen but small votive stupas in courtyard surrounding the main stupa.