Located in the North-Eastern part of India, in the state of Bihar in the district of Gaya, Mahabodhi temple is one of the most revered Buddhist religious places associated with the Buddha's name. It is believed that it was here that he attained Enlightenment.

According to historians, around 250 BC, 200 years later after the emergence of Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka Maurya visited this place and decided to put here a monastery and temple. It is the ruler Ashoka and is considered the founder of Mahabodhi. But the temple itself is in the form in which it has been preserved to our days, was built somewhere in the V-VI century.

The Mahabodhi temple is considered one of the oldest brick buildings in Eastern India, which survived to our time. The Central tower of the temple rises to 55 meters, it is decorated with geometric patterns and carved panels. The tower is surrounded by four towers are much smaller. From all sides the building is surrounded by the original stone railing, height more than two meters. On the older parts thereof, made of Sandstone, carved image bathing with elephants Hindu Goddess Lakshmi and health of the sun God Surya riding a chariot drawn by four horses. The new part of the railing is decorated with carved figures of Lotus flowers and eagles.
The temple was reconstructed in the late nineteenth century, under British leadership, on the initiative of sir Alexander Cunningham.

Not far from the sanctuary, near the Western wall, grows sacred for Buddhists the Bo tree, or, as it is called, ficus sacred (religious), under which, considered, meditated Buddha.

The Mahabodhi temple is included in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.