Sanchi, Buddhist monument complex in Madhya Pradesh, India

Sanchi is a Buddhist monument complex in Madhya Pradesh, India, where several stupas and monastery ruins stand on a hilltop. The main stupa rises as a hemispherical dome with four carved stone gateways and a surrounding railing.

Emperor Ashoka ordered construction of the first brick stupa during the 3rd century BCE. Centuries later, successive rulers added stone gateways and carved railings that remain standing today.

The carvings on the gateways show scenes from the Buddha's life, but the Buddha himself is never shown as a human figure; he appears as a horse, footprints or the platform under the bodhi tree. Donors chose a scene and had their own names inscribed beside it.

Regular buses connect the site with Bhopal, roughly 46 kilometers away, and guided tours in several languages are available. The walk up the hill follows paved paths that can become slippery when it rains.

The carvings on the gateways avoid showing the Buddha as a person: he appears as a horse he rode when leaving his father's house, as footprints, or as the platform beneath the bodhi tree. Greek dress, coins and musical instruments also appear in the border reliefs.