Sanchi Attractions
Sanchi is a small town with some of the oldest Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd C. The first Stupa was built by Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor, as a penance for all the slaughter he inflicted. It is the oldest stone structure in India.
Sanchi is noted for the many stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars. Stone steps at the end of Monuments Road reach the many stupas.
Sanchi is noted for the many stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars. Stone steps at the end of Monuments Road reach the many stupas.
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Stupas
The Stupas of Sanchi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are each unique. Some stupas display intricate carvings, and Stupa 1 dates to 35 B.C., making it the oldest stone structure in India.
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Toranas (Gateway)
(Stupas)
The four Toranas of Sanchi, built in 35 B.C., reveal carvings depicting stories from the lives of Buddha. These carvings on the gateways are a great display of early Buddhist art.
Pillars
The Pillars and remains of pillars are strewn around Sanchi. Near the Southern Gateway is one of the finest examples of Ashokan pillars. The sandstone pillar carries the famous edict of Ashoka warning against schism in the Buddhist community.
Pillar 25 dates from the 2nd C BC and Pillar 35 from the 5th C.
Pillar 25 dates from the 2nd C BC and Pillar 35 from the 5th C.
Temples
The Gupta Temple or Temple 17 is one of the earliest known examples of temple architecture in India. A flat roofed square building with four pillars and interior that is quite plain. Three sides of the exterior are undecorated but the front and the pillars are elegantly carved.
Temple 18 has a prayer room or assembly hall styled as a classical Greek column building. It dates from the 7th C but earlier wooden buildings have been discovered underneath.
Temple 31 was built in during the 6th or 7th C and reconstructed during either the 10th or 11th C. Rectangular in design, the temple features a complete image of the Buddha.
Temple 18 has a prayer room or assembly hall styled as a classical Greek column building. It dates from the 7th C but earlier wooden buildings have been discovered underneath.
Temple 31 was built in during the 6th or 7th C and reconstructed during either the 10th or 11th C. Rectangular in design, the temple features a complete image of the Buddha.
