Sanchi (Sanci) is a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is located near the town of Vidisha, are already in the 5th and 6 Century BC was an important trading post, and about 46 km northwest of the city of Bhopal. Sanchi is known mainly because of the third part from the Century BC, originating Buddhist stupas, which are among the oldest surviving structures of this kind. Since 1989, the stupas and the surrounding structures (temples, gates) are out of Sanchi by UNESCO on the list of world cultural heritage.
The eight oldest stupas at Sanchi were under the reign of King Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty (reigned about 268 BC to 232 BC) built. Further stupas and religious buildings were in the following centuries until the 12th Century, adds to the growing strength of Buddhism, Hinduism and, finally, by the advancing from the west Islam was almost entirely replaced in India (see History of India). Thereafter, the Buddhist monuments respected by the population and barely fell substantially. In Sanchi are related to buildings so that document almost the entire Buddhist period in India, over 1500 years.
1818 joined a British colonial officer, General Taylor, on the ruins. As a result, looted amateur archaeologists and treasure hunters, the sites, and 1881 started with professional restoration work was. Between 1912 and 1919 were done under the direction of archeologist Sir John Marshall further restoration work, through which the structures were in the state today on seeing. The historical range of Sanchi comprises the early 2000s some 50 buildings, including three stupas and a number of temples.
The "Great Stupa (Stupa 1), which goes to the time of King Ashoka's decline was the middle of the 2nd Century BC, almost entirely rebuilt. Here, a complete panel were made of sandstone, balustrades, terrace and a paved causeway completed. About 35 BC was followed by four stone gates (Toranas) with detailed reliefs executed. During the Gupta period (330 - early 6th century) - it was now become common practice to represent the Buddha in human form, not only represented by symbols like the "Wheel of Dharma '(Sanskrit: Dharmachakra), the" footprint of the Buddha "(Buddhapada), the Bodhi tree or just the stupa - four stone sculptures of the Buddha were placed on the walls, which are the gates opposite.
The "Great Stupa (Stupa 1), which goes to the time of King Ashoka's decline was the middle of the 2nd Century BC, almost entirely rebuilt. Here, a complete panel were made of sandstone, balustrades, terrace and a paved causeway completed. About 35 BC was followed by four stone gates (Toranas) with detailed reliefs executed. During the Gupta period (330 - early 6th century) - it was now become common practice to represent the Buddha in human form, not only represented by symbols like the "Wheel of Dharma '(Sanskrit: Dharmachakra), the" footprint of the Buddha "(Buddhapada), the Bodhi tree or just the stupa - four stone sculptures of the Buddha were placed on the walls, which are the gates opposite.
