Ellora Caves
India ·
Description
Ellora is the dialogue of civilizations carved in basalt. For five centuries, Buddhists, Hindus and Jains excavated 34 temples into the mountain without conflict. Kailasa Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is the world's largest monolithic structure: 200,000 tons of rock were excavated to create a temple that looks built, not carved.
Why It's a World Heritage Site
Ellora demonstrates religious tolerance in medieval India with Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples coexisting. Kailasa Temple is the world's largest monolithic structure. Excavation techniques are exceptional.
UNESCO Criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
For demonstrating religious tolerance with temples of three faiths and containing the world's largest monolithic structure.
It was inscribed in 1983 under criteria (i) and (iii).
34: 12 Buddhist (caves 1-12), 17 Hindu (13-29) and 5 Jain (30-34).
Cave 16; a temple excavated top-down, equivalent to removing 200,000 tons of rock.
30 km from Aurangabad, Maharashtra; Ajanta Caves are 100 km away.