Main image: Fazal.Khaliq, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There
Saidu Sharif Stupa is one of the historical Places of the Buddhist Religion near to Saidu Sharif Swat the distance of the Saidu Sharif Stupa from Islamabad via Swat Motorway is 306 Km and the distance from Peshawar to Swat is 217 km
By Air: The nearest airport that can be used for air travel to Saidu Sharif Stupa he’s Saidu Sharif Airport
By Train: If you want to go to Saidu Sharif Stupa by train from any part of the country, there is no train available to go to Saidu Sharif Stupa So you can get off at Nowshehra Railway station or Peshawar station and go Saidu Sharif Stupa by car, bus and Jeep
By Road: Through a car, bus and Jeep you can reach Saidu Sharif Stupa from Islamabad via Swat Motorway in three hours. The distance of Saidu Sharif Stupa from Peshawar is 217 Km and from Islamabad is 306 km.
What to Expect
Tourists who visit to this place will learn a lot about Buddhist sculptures and Buddhist religion. The can learn about the old Buddhist civilization. The valley under the shadow of Mount Elum is filled with views of forests, fields and clouds. The road winds with a fresh water stream which is picturesque in its own right. So the tourist can enjoy this areas as a picnic spot as well.
History
The Saidu Sharif Stupa excavations were initiated by the Italian Archaeological Mission in 1963 and ended in 1982, with a pause between 1966 and 1977. The first excavation campaign investigated the lower terrace with the main stūpa, while the upper terrace with the monastery was brought to light during the second campaign.
The lower terrace (called “Terrace of the Stupas”) has a larger stūpa (Main Stupa) surrounded by other minor monuments: stūpas, viharas, and columns. Of the Main Stupa is preserved the structure with a square plan up to the first cylindrical body, with a stairway on the north side; of the harmikā and of the umbrellas are preserved some remains found near the stūpa.
One of the two cylindrical bodies of the monument was adorned with a frieze figured in greenschist while at the four corners of the top of the rectangular body were four columns on a pedestal with a lion figure crouched on top.
The life phase of the sanctuary of Saidu Sharif I was divided by archaeologists into three periods, during which time we pass from the asymmetrical arrangement of the monuments (first period, between 25 BCE and the end of the 1st century) to a progressive crowding of the Terrace of the Stupa, followed by an extension of the terrace itself (second and third periods, respectively II-III century CE and IV-V century CE).
Facilities Available
All the facilities are available near to Saidu Sharif Stupa at about 1km distance from this site:
- A lot of hotels and motels are located on the road side of Mingora Swat with beautiful views.
- Bazaars with local foodis also available for the tourists.
- Landline and mobile connectivity makes it comfortable for the tourists to communicate.
- Local tourist’s guides are also available for tourist facilitation.
- Local and private transport is easily available 24/7.
- For security near police stations are also available.
- Petrol Pumps are available in swat district
