Great Stupa, Sanchi

산치 대탑

The Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India, on a hilltop in the state of Madhya Pradesh, about 46 kilometres north-east of the city of Bhopal. A stupa is a dome-shaped Buddhist monument that holds sacred relics. This one was started by the emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC and is about 16 metres tall.

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At a glance

Country: India
Location: Sanchi, India
Built: -250
Height: 16.5 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Great Stupa, Sanchi?

Great Stupa, Sanchi is in Sanchi, India.

When was Great Stupa, Sanchi built?

Great Stupa, Sanchi was built in 250 BC.

How tall is Great Stupa, Sanchi?

Great Stupa, Sanchi is about 16.5 m tall.

Begun by Emperor Ashoka, one of India's oldest stone structures: a hemispherical stupa ringed by four carved gateways.

Around the dome stand four richly carved gateways called toranas. Sanchi is a whole complex of Buddhist stupas, temples and monasteries that were built over some 1,500 years, and it is one of the best-preserved groups of Buddhist monuments in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and appears on the back of the Indian 200-rupee note.

From brick dome to stone monument

The first stupa was a plain hemisphere of brick built over relics of the Buddha, with a railing and a stone umbrella, the chatra, on top as a sign of honour. It was only about half as wide as today's stupa. Later rulers, especially the Shungas, enlarged it and covered it in stone. In the 1st century BC the four decorated gateways and a stone fence around the whole structure were added.

Stories in stone

The gateways are covered with carvings that tell stories from the Buddha's earlier lives and show scenes of daily life. In these early carvings the Buddha himself is shown through symbols such as a wheel, a tree or footprints rather than as a person. The complex flourished until about the 11th century, and smaller stupas and temple buildings nearby show how Indian Buddhist architecture developed over time.

Fun facts

The Great Stupa started as a brick dome in the 3rd century BC.
The first stupa was only about half as wide as the one we see today.
Sanchi Stupa is printed on the back of the Indian 200-rupee note.
Sanchi's story is told across Ashoka's period, the Gupta period and later, ending around the 12th century.