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The famous Nalanda University had been established at the site by the 5th century BC, and the Buddha is thought to have visited it. Later it became an important Buddhist centre of learning, at its peak accommodating up to 10,000 students. Among the famous teachers there was Nagarjuna. The traveller Hsuan Tsang left detailed accounts of the university in the 7th century. In the late 12th century it is thought to have been destroyed by Islamic invaders.
A number of ruined structures survive. Nearby is the Surya Mandir, a Hindu temple. The known and excavated ruins extend over an area of about 15 hectares.
The Nalanda museum contains a number of manuscripts, and shows many examples of the items that have been excavated.
In 1951 a modern centre for Buddhist studies was founded nearby, the Nav Nalanda Vihar.
Nalanda is also the name of two modern-day colleges, one in Sri Lanka and one in Toronto, Ontario Canada, and a monastery in France.See also
Nalanda is also the name of the modern administrative district of Bihar in which the ancient university ruins are found.