Somapura Mahavihara in Paharpur, Naogaon, Bangladesh is among the best known Buddhist viharas in the Subcontinent and is one of the most important archeological sites in the country.
It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Evidence of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in Bengal from the 7th century onwards, Somapura Mahavira, or the Great Monastery, was a renownedintellectual centre until the 12th century.
Its layout perfectly adapted to its religious function, this monastery-city represents a unique artistic achievement. With its simple, harmonious lines and its profusion of carved decoration, it influenced Buddhist architecture as far away as Cambodia.
