Not one city but several
Taxila, in northern Punjab province, Pakistan, near Islamabad and Rawalpindi, is not a single ancient city. It is a group of sites spread across a valley, belonging to different periods. The earliest settlement at Bhir Mound is generally placed around the sixth century BCE or earlier, later cities were built at Sirkap and Sirsukh, and Buddhist monasteries and stupas stand in the surrounding hills and fields. The Taxila complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1980.
Taxila was known in antiquity as a centre of learning and trade, but its fame as a place of “university” instruction is often exaggerated in popular writing. It was a major city with teachers and students, and that is as far as the evidence clearly goes. As a Buddhist place, Taxila matters mainly for its monuments, which belong largely to the period when Gandhara was a Buddhist heartland.
Dharmarajika
The Dharmarajika stupa stands on a rise overlooking the valley and is the largest Buddhist monument at Taxila. Tradition associates its origin with Emperor Ashoka, and the earliest structure is often dated to the Mauryan period, though what is visible today is mostly the result of later enlargements. Round the great central mound are the remains of smaller votive stupas, chapels and monastic buildings added over several centuries.
Visitors will notice the layering. The core mound was enclosed and expanded, and surrounding shrines were built by donors over time. The site illustrates how a stupa could become the focus of a growing complex. The basic components are explained in our piece on the parts of a stupa.
Jaulian
Jaulian is a hilltop monastery, usually dated to roughly the second century CE or a little later. It has a main stupa with smaller votive stupas, many of them decorated with stucco images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas in niches. Next to this is a monastic quadrangle, with a court surrounded by small cells for monks and a large hall.
The stucco figures are among the best-known examples of Gandharan work. Many have lost heads or surfaces, and some have been restored. The style belongs to the tradition covered in the neighbouring article on Gandharan art.
Mohra Moradu and other monasteries
Mohra Moradu lies in a small valley and has a stupa court and a monastery. It is known for stucco figures and a small stupa with surviving decoration. The site is more secluded than Dharmarajika. Other monastic sites in the area include Kalawan, Pippala and Bhamala, though their state of preservation and accessibility differ, and Bhamala lies a short distance away in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A discussion of how monastic courts were organised is found under monastic community.
Sirkap and the city setting
Sirkap, the grid-planned city usually linked with the Indo-Greek and later rulers, shows what an urban setting looked like. It contains a main street, houses and a small stupa base, among other remains. It is not a Buddhist site as such, but it explains how the monasteries sat beside an ordinary commercial town. The Taxila Museum nearby displays finds from the excavations and is a useful starting point.
What the monuments tell us
The sites show that Buddhist life in Taxila was supported by laypeople, merchants and rulers. Inscriptions found in the area record donations of relics and buildings. The monasteries seem to have been in use for centuries and were eventually abandoned; the exact causes and dates are debated and no single explanation is certain. Chinese travellers, including Faxian and Xuanzang, mention the region in their accounts, and Xuanzang’s description of the area has been used by archaeologists, although it has to be read with care. For context see our notes on Chinese pilgrim monks.
Visiting as a heritage traveller
Taxila is better described as a heritage destination than as a living pilgrimage centre, although Buddhist pilgrims from other countries do visit. Readers should note:
- Check current government travel advice for Pakistan, as conditions and regional security situations change.
- Opening arrangements, fees and permissions are set by the authorities and may change, so confirm them from official sources.
- Summer heat can be severe, and uneven ground and steps need care.
- Dress modestly, do not climb on structures, and follow signs and the guidance of site staff.
- Ask before photographing people, and follow museum rules.
The history of how these remains were identified is covered in its own article, so this one focuses on the monuments themselves.