Vikramaśīla University

The Vikramashila University ( Vikramaśīla Mahavihara ) was an important Buddhist monastic university in India of the Pala dynasty. The establishment of Vikramashila goes back to the Bengali ruler Dharmapala ( 783-820 ) and was carried out in response to a perceived decline of teaching at that time leading Buddhist monastic university of Nalanda. As a center for training and sending missionaries Vikramashila had a lasting effect on the propagation of a Tantric teachings to Tibet and to East and Southeast Asia. Among the abbots and teachers of Vikramashila included the Indian pandit Atisha Dipamkara Srijnana ( 980-1053 ).

Like other Buddhist centers the fortified monastic university was around 1200 the advancing against the Sena dynasty Muslim invaders victim.

The excavations began in 1960 and ended first in 1969. These first excavations were conducted by the Patna University. 1971, excavations were resumed and completed in 1982. This second excavations were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India. The largest single structure found is a square building with dimensions of 330 × 330 meters and had 208 rooms. The excavations at the ruins of the ancient University in the area of the village in the district of Bhagalpur Antichak, Bihar, continue.