NEW YORK: The Global Heritage Fund, which promotes the preservation of historic architectural sites around the world, has declared Taxila's archeological site in Pakistan as one of the most endangered ones in Asia.
The Fund issued a finalized list Friday of the top 10 most endangered sites in Asia.
Herewith the complete list:
1. Ayutthaya in Thailand, a former Siamese capital known as the “Venice of the East.”
2. Fort Santiago and Intramuros in the Philippines.
3. Kashgar, one of the last preserved Silk Road cities in China.
4. Mahasthangarh, one of South Asia’s earliest archeological sites in Bangladesh.
5. Mes Aynak, an Afghan Buddhist monastery complex on the Silk Road.
6. Myauk-U, capital of the first Arakenese kingdom in Myanmar.
7. Plain of Jars, a mysterious megalithic site in Laos.
8. Preah Vihear, a Khmer architectural masterpiece in Cambodia.
9. Rakhigari, one of the biggest, ancient Indus sites in India.
10. Taxila, an ancient economic crossroads in Pakistan.
Taxila is a Tehsil in the Rawalpindi District of Punjab province of Pakistan. It is an important archaeological site.
Taxila is situated about 32 km (20 mi) northwest of Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi in Panjab; just off the Grand Trunk Road.
Taxila lies 549 metres (1,801 ft) above sea level.
The city dates back to the Gandhara period and contains the ruins of the Gandharan city of Tak?asila which was an important Hindu and Buddhist centre, and is still considered a place of religious and historical sanctity in those traditions.
In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations.
In 2006 it was ranked as the top tourist destination in Pakistan by The Guardian newspaper.