Ajanta Caves

World Heritage

India

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The first Buddhist caves at Ajanta date back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries AD), a number of richly decorated caves were added to the existing complex. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta are considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art and have had a considerable artistic influence.

Painted ceiling depicting Life circle of Lord Buddha

Most of the caves of the second period were made under the rule of the Vakataka king Harishena

Cave 19, Ajanta, a 5th-century chaitya hall

Cave 12 plan, an early type of vihara (1st century BCE) without internal shrine

Cave 4, a monastery, or vihara, with its square hall surrounded by monks' cells

The Ajanta Caves

Cave 9, a first-period Hinayana-style chaitya worship hall with stupa but no idols

Cave 24; the Ajanta Caves were carved into a massive rock on the Deccan plateau

Cave 24 the Ajanta Caves were carved into a massive rock on the Deccan plateau

Panoramic view of Ajanta Caves from the nearby hill

Top, Interior of Ajanta chaitya hall, Cave 26, photo by Robert Gill (c. 1868); Bottom, James Ferguss...

Map of Ajanta Caves

Top, Interior of Ajanta chaitya hall, Cave 26, photo by Robert Gill (c. 1868) Bottom, James Ferguss...

Name and date inscribed by John Smith after he found Cave 10 in 1819

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Information extracted from Wikidata

ELSTAT geographical code	ajanta-caves
number of rooms	viaf-257033347
topographic prominence	1025
office held by head of the organization	http://g.co/kg/m/0_z7
Commons category	Ajanta Caves
inception	-0200-01-01T00:00:00Z
inception	-0200-01-01T00:00:00Z
coordinate location	Point(75.70047222 20.55341667)
topic's main category	Category:Ajanta Caves
Commons gallery	Ajanta Caves
page banner	http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Ajanta%20caves%20%28Aurangabad%29%20banner.jpg
described by source	Ottův slovník naučný
native label	अजिंठा लेणी/गुहा
area	8242
World Heritage criteria	World Heritage selection criterion (vi)
World Heritage criteria	World Heritage selection criterion (ii)
World Heritage criteria	World Heritage selection criterion (i)
Atlas Obscura identifier	ajanta-caves
country	India
image	http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Ajanta%20cave%20no.%209%202010.jpg
instance of	grotto
instance of	artificial cave
executive body	Ajanta Caves
location of creation	Ajanta Caves
male population	1272950
IPA transcription	1800609

start time	1983-01-01T00:00:00Z
official name	كهُف أجانتا
official name	Ajanta Caves
official name	Grutas de Ajanta
official name	Grottes d'Ajanta
official name	アジャンター石窟群
official name	Grotten van Ajanta
official name	Пещерные храмы в Аджанте
official name	阿旃陀石窟群
volume as quantity	World Heritage selection criterion (i)
volume as quantity	World Heritage selection criterion (ii)
volume as quantity	World Heritage selection criterion (vi)
area	78676
applies to part	buffer zone