Amarāvatī

An early Buddhist monastic site, associated with the Mahāsaṃghika school, in eastern Andhra Pradesh near the Kṛṣṇā river with settlements dating from 2nd century bce. The main stūpa was built and enlarged over several centuries until the 3rd century ce. The final stūpa is estimated to have been 138 feet in diameter and 100 feet in height. Much of the structure was covered with richly carved bas-reliefs and sculptures. The stūpa is thought have been been intact until the late 18th century ce but was later plundered for building materials. A series of excavations over the past hundred years have yielded many reliefs, inscriptions, and artefacts.