Amaravati

Amaravati is a historic town in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, located at an elevation of 31 meters on the banks of the Krishna River. It served as the capital of the ancient Satavahana dynasty from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE and remains one of India’s most significant Buddhist archaeological sites. The town’s most important monument is the Amaravati Mahachaitya, a massive Buddhist stupa measuring 40 meters in diameter, originally constructed around 200 BCE and enlarged over several centuries. At its height, it was the largest Buddhist stupa in India. The stupa was renowned for its exceptional carved limestone panels, many of which were removed during the 19th century and distributed to museums, especially the Government Museum in Chennai and the British Museum in London. However, the site museum at Amaravati still preserves several major original sculptures and relief panels. Amaravati is also an important Hindu pilgrimage center because of the revered Amaralingeswara Swamy Temple, one of the five sacred Pancharama Kshetras dedicated to Shiva. In 2014, the Andhra Pradesh government designated Amaravati as the state’s new capital city. Although construction of the planned capital has faced interruptions and political disputes, Amaravati continues to hold immense archaeological, historical, and religious significance.