Stupa of Takht-e Rostam

The Stupa of Takht-e Rostam is a Buddhist stupa-monastery located in the ancient city of Takht-e Rostam in northeastern Afghanistan. The stupa is thought to date back to the 5th or 4th century AD, and it is believed to have been built during the Kushano-Sassanian period. This stupa has been carved into the ground.

At the top of the stupa is a stone-carved, right-angled Harmika building, which once contained relics of the Buddha. The depth of the trench surrounding the stupa is about eight metres. Inside the walls surrounding the stupa is a Buddhist monastery with five individual caves and several monastic cells for meditation. It is still not known why this stupa was dug, but its engineering is remarkable. However, there are not many decorative elements.