That Dam

This large, weathered brick stupa in the centre of the capital, whose name means the Black Stupa, is one of the city's older monuments, though its exact origins are obscured by time. Once covered in gold that legend says was carried off during a nineteenth-century invasion, it now stands moss-darkened and overgrown, giving rise to local tales that a protective serpent dwells within. Rising from a small roundabout ringed by embassies and guesthouses, its eroded form contrasts with newer monuments.