The ancient Nalanda university was among four new World Heritage Sites named by UNESCO today.
Highlights
- Nalanda university among four new World Heritage sites named by UNESCO
- Nalanda site comprises remains of institute dating back to 3rd Century BC
- Stands out as most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent: UNESCO
The ruins of the ancient Nalanda university dating back to the third century BC have been declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee met this morning in Istanbul to inscribe four new sites in China, Iran and Micronesia besides the archaeological site of the Nalanda Mahavihara university in Bihar on the World Heritage List.
The Nalanda site comprises of the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BC to the 13th century AD.It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal.
"Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent and engaged in the organised transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted period of 800 years," the UNESCO said.
"The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions," it added.
Besides Nalanda, the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape in China, the Persian Qanat in Iran and the ceremonial centre of eastern Micronesia were also declared World Heritage Sites.