Sanchi is a small town on the outskirts of Bhopal, situated around 48 km from the capital city. The town comes under the district of Vidisha. Sanchi is the living example of visions and beliefs of Emperor Ashoka. The town is scattered with numerous Buddhist structures like pillars and stupas. Although the city is world known for these Buddhist sites, but Sanchi does not have great significance or consequences in Buddhist history. Though it is now considered as a pilgrimage town due to the monasteries that are present here. Emperor Ashoka came here and married the daughter of a local merchant. Sanchi thus became his center and he carried out the construction of many buildings. The Ashoka Pillar and the Great Sanchi stupa are the most exquisite works of those time. The Stupas were the earliest forms of Buddhist architecture that were the inspiration for many other buildings.
This probably is the most visited and most photographed structure in Madhya Pradesh. This dome shaped building and the panels are inscribed with many drawings that depict the life of Buddha. You will also find Brahmi script carved at different places in the stupa. The stupas of Sanchi have been recognized as world heritage site by UNESCO. The construction of the Stupa was approved by Emperor Ashoka in the third century. This hemispherical dome structure was built to house the relics of Buddha.
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