Sanchi Stupa

Sanchi is one of the most important and best-preserved Buddhist sites in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a monument begun by Ashoka, it marks the era when Buddhism spread across and beyond India. Its art established the visual language of early Indian sculpture. It remains a place of pilgrimage and reflection for Buddhists and admirers of heritage alike.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi, a vast hemispherical dome enshrining relics of the Buddha, was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka and enlarged and embellished over the following centuries. Its four ornamental toranas (gateways) are covered with exquisite reliefs narrating the Jataka tales and scenes from the Buddha's life, depicted through symbols rather than images. Surrounding the main stupa are smaller stupas, monasteries, temples and Ashokan pillars spanning over a thousand years of Buddhist activity. Set on a tranquil hilltop, Sanchi offers a serene window into the flowering of Buddhism in ancient India.