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Map showing all important tourist attractions in Sarnath
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Sarnath railway station	Dhamekh sthupa	MahaBodhi temple	Dhamma Chakka Pavattana
Sarnath Museum	Chaukhandi Sthupa	Digambar jain temple	Deer park
Vajravidya temple	Chineese temple	Thai temple	Japaveese temple
Korea temple	Sarangnath temple

Sarnath is located at a distance of ten kilometres from Varanasi towards North.
This is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, Dhamma chakka pavattana to his five ascetics(Kondanna, Vappa, Bhaddiya, Mahanama and Assaji). Day before Niryana, Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers.
It makes Sarnath one of the most venerated Buddhist places
The earliest remains here at Sarnath are from the Mauryan period ascribed to Emperor Ashoka.

Sarnath sightseeing :

1.Mahabodhi temple:
This is the main temple in Sarnath. Bodhi tree and Mulagandhakuti are the important places to see.

2.Chaukhandi stupa:
This is the first monument to be seen as one enters Sarnath. This mass of brickwork with an octagonal tower on top is what remains of an ancient stupa. The tower was constructed to commemorate the visit of Hamuyan, father of Akbar Khan to Sarnath in 1588 AD. This site is believed to be the place where the Buddha stopped to let the Five Ascetics see him and welcome him as he entered the Deer Park.

3.Dhamekha stupa(Dhamma chakka stupa):
This is the most conspicuous structure at Sarnath.
Colonel Cunningham bore a shaft from the top centre of the stupa and discovered a stone tablet on which an inscription is written with the word Dhamekha, and mentions that this is the spot where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.
Dhamekha seems to be a distorted form of Dharma Chakra which means turning the wheel of the Dharma.
It is also said that at this spot the five ascetics who left Gautama Buddha in Bodh Gaya used to live in huts.

4.Asokan pillar:
The majestic Ashoka pillar records visit of emperor Ashoka to Sarnath.
It was originally adorned by a capital of four lions, now housed in the Sarnath museum.
The capital became the state emblem of modern India.

5.Archeological museum:
Lion capital: This once crowned the Asokan pillar.
It is taken as the crest of India.
The Dhamma chakka wheel of this is included in the National flag of India.

6 .The Digambara Jain Temple:
The Digambara Jain temple, southwest of the Dhamekh Stupa, built in 1824, is said to be where Shreyanshnath, the 11th Jain tirthankara was born.
Inside the temple are good frescoes, which depict the life of Mahavir, the founder of the present day Jain religion.

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Other places of interst:
Deer Park or Isipatana
Sunken Shrine of Pancayatana
Sarnath Archeological Museum (Closed on Fridays)
[Lion Capital,Colossal Bodhisatta Image,Buddha’s Life Panels,Preaching Buddha Image
Mahabodhi Society]
Temples and Monasteries in Sarnath:the Burmese vihara, Chinese temple, Japanese temple, Korean temple, Thai temple and three Tibetan monasteries