summary of the official 2016 UNESCO World Heritage nomination file for the Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar:

• Scope & significance (OUV): The dossier presents Nalanda as a monastic–scholastic complex active from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE, with stupas, temples (chaityas), viharas, and rich stucco/stone/metal art. It argues inscription under criteria (iv) and (vi) for its outstanding architectural ensemble and its pan-Asian intellectual and religious influence, reflected in pilgrim accounts (e.g., Xuanzang, Yijing). The World Heritage Committee inscribed the property on 15 July 2016.

• Property, buffer & coordinates (maps): The nominated property covers 23 ha with a 57.88 ha buffer zone, centered at N 25° 8′ 12″, E 85° 26′ 38″. The file includes a formal map of the inscribed property showing core and buffer boundaries and principal excavated mounds/structures.

• Background & description: The narrative traces Nalanda’s urban–ritual landscape, construction phases, and key components revealed in ASI excavations (early 20th century onward), emphasizing the layout of monasteries and temples and the continuous conservation record documented in Indian Archaeology:

• Protection & management: The dossier details legal protection by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), routine maintenance/conservation regimes, and institutional arrangements for monitoring, visitor management, and risk preparedness noted by ICOMOS during evaluation.

• Comparative analysis: It situates Nalanda among Buddhist monastic/learning centres across South and Southeast Asia to demonstrate uniqueness in scale, longevity, architectural typology, and textual reach (supporting criteria iv/vi). (Synthesis from the nomination package and ICOMOS review.)

• Bibliography (what it includes): A substantial bibliography pulls together ASI excavation and conservation reports, classic pilgrim texts (Xuanzang, Yijing), archaeological surveys (e.g., Cunningham/Sastri traditions), and modern scholarship used to establish chronology, typology, and significance. (See the nomination file’s documentation section; a publicly mirrored draft dossier shows the scale of references.)