Takht-i-Bahi is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Pakistan, set dramatically on a hilltop about 15 kilometres northwest of Mardan. Dating from the 1st century CE, it is one of the best-preserved Buddhist monastic complexes in the Gandhara region — the ancient civilisation that blended Greek, Persian, and Indian artistic traditions in what is now northern Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The ruins spread across the hill in a series of courts, assembly halls, meditation cells, and stupas. The main stupa court, surrounded by smaller votive stupas, gives a strong sense of the original scale and layout. Many of the carved figures and reliefs were removed to museums during the colonial period, but the architecture itself is largely intact. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed jointly with the ruins of Sahr-i-Bahlol in the valley below.
The views from the hilltop over the Peshawar plain are an added incentive. The walk up from the base is about 20 minutes. The site is open daily and admission is nominal. The best approach from Mardan is by private vehicle or rickshaw; there are no reliable public connections.