Sanchi is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd Century BC to 12th Century AD. The glory that was Sanchi, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning and place of pilgrimage, can still be experienced in its complex structure where many Buddhist legends found expression in the rich sculpture The lotus represents the Buddha's birth, the tree signifies his enlightenment, the wheel represent his first sermon and the stupa represents his nirvana or salvation. The footprints and the throne denote the Buddha's presence. Some of the important monuments in Sanchi are: The Great Stupa No.1, 36.5 mtrs in diameter and 16.4 mtrs high, it is one of the oldest stone structure in India. The southern Gateway reveals the birth of Gautam in a series of dramatically rich carvings. The Northern Gate way, crowned by a wheel of Law, illustrates the miracle associated with the Buddha as told in the Jataka tales. The Eastern Gateway, depicts the young prince, Gautam leaving his father's palace, renouncing worldly life to seek enlightenment. The inner face of the right pillar portrays the dream of Maya, the mother of Buddha, when she conceived him. The western Gateways depicts the Seven incarnations of the Buddha, Four represented by trees and three by stupas; the Buddha preaching his first sermon at the Deer Park, Sarnath and the Chhaddanta Jataka tale. Stupa No.2, dating back to the 2nd century BC, stands at the very edge of the hill and its most balustrade that surrounds it. Stupa No.3 situated northeast of the Great Stupa is where the relics of Sariputra and Mahamogalana, the two famous disciples of the Buddha were found in its inner most chambers. Ashoka Pillar, with its four lion head stump, erected during the 3rd Century BC, is situated close to the Southern Gateway of the Great Stupa. Though, similar to the intricately carved pillar in Sarnath, the lions did not support a "Wheel of Law" (Dharmachakra). A unique feature of this pillar is its brilliant polish. The Gupta Temple (4th Century AD), in ruins now, is one of the earliest known examples of temple architecture in India. It consists of a simple flat roofed chamber with a pillared porch in front. Temple 18, a Chaitya Hall, situated in front of the Southern Gateway of the Great Stupa is comparatively recent (around 7th Century A.D) resembles the rock-cut chaitya halls at Karla Caves in Maharastra. The Great Bowl, carved out of one block of stone, contained food that was distributed amongst the monks of Sanchi. The Archaeological Survey of India Museum, situated at the entrance to the monument, exhibits findings and remains of the excavated site. Among these are caskets, pottery, parts of gateways, lion capital of the Ashokan pillar and images.