Somapura Mahavihara
Archaeological · Paharpur, Rajshahi
The ruins of one of the greatest Buddhist monasteries ever built south of the Himalaya — a vast eighth-century quadrangle of 177 monks' cells around a 20-metre cruciform central shrine, founded by the Pala emperor Dharmapala at Paharpur and inscribed by UNESCO in 1985. For centuries it was a powerhouse of Buddhist learning whose design echoed as far as Burma and Java; today its terracotta plaque bands, brick terraces and museum sit in landscaped gardens deep in the rice country of Naogaon. Also known as the Paharpur Buddhist Vihara.
Paharpur Bazar Road, Badalgachhi, Paharpur, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Open ruins reportedly daily, roughly 9 AM-5 PM winter and 10 AM-6 PM summer; the museum keeps a Department of Archaeology schedule with a weekly closed day (reportedly Sunday, plus a half-day Monday) — sources conflict and this is UNVERIFIED; check locally. Friday midday prayer break affects staffing. Hours change during Ramadan and on public holidays.
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