Great stupa at Sanchi the temple complex in India

Sanchi village is situated almost in the center of India, where about VI. Don. e. It was born, and later from there distribution via the ancient Indian religious and philosophical doctrine (dharma) of a spiritual awakening (bodhi) – Buddhism.
Great stupa of Sanchi is known around the world: it was created and partially preserved to this day one of the most considerable sites in the history of the world and the biggest Buddhist monument of India. A diversification of religious buildings there is an abundance, suggesting that the ancient Sanchi stupa was of great national significance. However, this accounts for only guess, because they do not keep accurate data about the creators of these structures, scientists judgments about the history great stupa of Sanchi largely conditional, as perfectly as the legends that surround the settlement.
However, all researchers agree that the first shrine great stupa at Sanchi was built around 250 BC. e. inwardly the reign of Ashoka – the straight edge of the Mauryan imperium of 232 to 273 years ago.
His valor and wisdom stacked numerous legends. Many indicated that the king “fed up with the sight of blood,” the enemy, and felt profound remorse for a long time utilized in the wandering to the sacred places of Buddhism. In those times, Buddhism has just begun its triumphal spread to India, Buddhist shrines were far from the possession of Ashoka, and a pilgrimage to him was not only conditioned to the great dangers, but also takes many months.
The first such stupa in India, and throughout history, was built just great stupa at Sanchi, and pilgrims flocked to it. And including eight Great Stupa – even bigger than the Great Stupa, but they did not outlive a single one.

Scientists believe that the Great Sanchi Stupa is likewise the oldest known buildings in India stone

Buddhism did not strengthen a state religion: against plans Ashoka were his heirs and ministers as too generous gifts of the monarch in kindness of the Buddhist community, inclusive the construction of temples and stupas at Sanchi, emptied the state exchequer.
After the end of Ashoka Sanchi stupa gradually lost value All-Indian Center of Buddhism, although churches have survived, and continued construction of the new, albeit not to the same scale. Most stupa destroyed at least twice – once after the end of King Ashoka in the times of Muslim rule – but every time again restored. After the XII century. buildings fell into disrepair and collapsed behind them is not followed with the same zeal.
According to the famous legend, the Buddha did not happen at Sanchi in any of terrestrial life, in any of their other lives, though today these buildings are still considered the greatest Indian Buddhist saint.
Indian village Sanchi is disposed on a mound in the amongst of the plains formed by several rivers and circled on all part by high mountains.
While in India, Buddhism prevailed everywhere, remained the center of Sanchi Buddhist art, but with the attack of Islam in central India began the descent of this iconic place.

The complex of religious buildings great stupa of Sanchi includes many more temples, stupas and several separate columns – all in varying degrees of destruction

The main sanctuary Sanchi – Large stupa in the thickness of its brick walled sacred remainder of the Buddha. In archeology, it is called Stupa number 1, which also emphasizes the thing that it is the first of their kind. Like all of the stupa is a symbol sacred to Buddhists and Hindus, Mount Meru, the center of all material and ecclesiastical system.
In the epoch of King Ashoka Great Stupa is a hemisphere, built of adobe, is encircled by a timbered fence.
In the middle of the II. Don. e. Sizes stupas were doubled, it was revived with stone hemisphere Shrine crowned with a stone spire-Chatra and strung him three umbrellas – a symbol of climbing stair to the upper of the sky.