Ashoka Pillar Ruins

The Ashoka Pillar Ruins at Sarnath are the remains of the famous Ashokan pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE to mark the site of the Buddha's first sermon. The pillar's highly polished sandstone shaft now lies broken on the ground, but its crowning piece — the Lion Capital — was recovered and is displayed in the nearby Sarnath Archaeological Museum. The Lion Capital, featuring four lions standing back to back, was adopted as the National Emblem of India. The pillar ruins are part of the protected Sarnath archaeological site.