Bala Hisar mound is an ancient site in Peshawar, Pakistan, that was part of the historic fortress of Bala Hissar. The mound is located in the south of the fortress, and consists of two separate mounds, one eastern and one western. The mound was first inhabited in the 2nd millennium BCE, and was mentioned by the 7th-century Chinese explorer Xuanzang as a royal residence. The mound was used as a citadel by various rulers, such as the Mauryans, the Mughals, the Durranis, the Marathas, the Sikhs, and the British. The mound is decorated with geometric and floral patterns. The mound is one of the 85 sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that are under the protection of the Federal Government¹.