UNESCO World Heritage Site Sanchi Stupa is a famous sightseeing destination that has innumerable Buddhist structures, pillars and monasteries. The majority of these monuments date back to the 3 BC.

Sanchi Stupa is known for its masterpiece of Buddhist art- Buddhist Stupas monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd century B.C. to the 12 th century A.D. The site consists of mainly three stupas.

 

 

 

 

 

The most famous of The Sanchi Stupa-

Sanchi Stupa No. 1. is a hemispherical dome, crowned by a triple umbrella, 36.60 meters in diameter. A railing encircles the Stupa cut by four exquisitely carved gateways or toranas. The torana consists of two upright pillars that are square in shape and support a super structure of three architraves with volute ends. Both sides of the architraves as well as various faces of the upright pillars are sculpted with depiction of religious subjects, elephants dwarfs or ganas (attendants), lions, auspicious emblems, vriksha devatas ( symbolising different types of trees), incidents and stories from the life of the Buddha.

Sanchi Stupa No. 2 consists of the Buddhist symbols like the Bodhi tree, a throne and the wheels of law. There are elaborate carvings on the pillars flanking the entrances. Some of them are lions supporting a Chakra(wheel), vidyadhars ( bearer of wisdom) bringing garlands and the wish fulfilling wine.

Temple 17 consists of a flat roofed square sanctum with a portico supported on four solid pillars. Nearby is the 2nd century B.C. Heliodoruspillar, the 5th century A.D. Udayagiri cave and monuments at Vidisha, all within a ten kilometers radius.

Tourist Information
Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset.
Entry fee for those above 12 years: Rs. 5.00. for Royal enclosure and Vitthala temple.
Free entry on Fridays.

Best Time To Visit
November to February.