Archaeological sights in Mingora & Saidu Sharif
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Butkara No 1
Butkara No 1 is also called Butkara, or the local name of Gulkada (gool-ka-da). This site has yielded one of Swat's richest harvests of artefacts, all now in museums. The enormous central stupa was probably begun by Ashoka in the 3rd century BC; by the 10th century it had been rebuilt five times, each new version enclosing the last.
Surrounding it were over 200 little stupas built by wealthy pilgrims. To get here, find the first road just north of the Swat Museum, off Saidu Sharif Rd, and walk east along it for 900m. Then walk 250m north on a footpath across fields to a boundary fence in a grove of trees.
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Butkara No 3
Further along the Jambil Valley is Butkara No 3, a partly reconstructed courtyard of enclosed stupas. To get here, continue 500m past the turn-off to Butkara No 1 until you reach a culvert. Then climb five minutes up a gully to the right. It can be difficult to find, but there's a village on the way and someone from there can probably show you.
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Saidu Stupa
The remains of the impressive Saidu Stupa and monastery are just up a track from the paved road behind Central Hospital.
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