Cyclopean Wall Of Rajgir

Subhadip Mukherjee

4 days ago

One of the most underrated heritage structures at Rajgir which tourists ignore is the Cyclopean Wall of Rajgir. One cannot compare this wall to the Great Wall of China which is much bigger and grander but one can compare it with the Hadrian’s Wall located in England

History Of Cyclopean Wall At Rajgir

This wall was built around the town of Rajgir which historically was known as Rajgriha and was the capital of the Magadha Empire. The total circumference of the wall is around forty-five kilometers, the height of the wall however varies between as low as three feet to as high as fifteen feet in some places. The average width of the wall is around twelve to fourteen feet. The wall was built to protect the capital city and was also guarded by sentries.

Once there were also watchtowers but those cannot be seen now. The wall also had a total of ninety-six gates out of which thirty-two were large gates and sixty-four were smaller gates. These were more like entrances which acted as entry and exit points.

Historians put the construction of the gate around 2500 – 2600 years ago which puts its existence even before the Great Wall of China. The construction of the wall was initially started by King Bimbisara and later completed by his son King Ajatshatru.

The wall was built with small and medium-sized rocks stacked on top of each other without using and binding agent or mortar. This lack of mortar prolonged the life of the wall since there was no chance of the mortar weathering out in a few centuries making the foundation unstable.

An Old Photograph Of Cyclopean Wall At Rajgir – Circa 1938 (Courtesy Archeological Survey Of India)

What To See At Cyclopean Wall In Rajgir

You cannot find the whole wall surrounding the town of Rajgir any longer. However, there are a few portions of the wall that one can still see. The best location to enjoy the wall would be to travel to the edge of the town near the newly discovered stupa, here you will find a temple next to the road and this is the best spot to enjoy the view of the Cyclopean Wall.

The Best Spot To See The Cyclopean Wall At Rajgir (Landmark Temple Next To The Road)

View Of The Eastern Section Of The Wall From The Main Road

View Of The Western Section Of The Wall From The Main Road

Large Rectangular Sections Of The Western Section Of The Wall

View Of West And East Sections Of The Wall As Seen From The Main Road

While most of the portions of the wall that still can be seen today have been restored some portions can still be seen in a dilapidated state. Heavy rainfall which results in shifting of the topsoil also has recently caused damage to some sections of the wall.

Bird’s Eye View Of The Rectangular Structures On The Western Section

If you are adventurous then you can climb on top of them also but surely this is not recommended as this is a protected heritage site. This however does not stop the locals especially children who love to climb to the top for a better bird’s eye view.

There is an attempt by the local government to enlist the Cyclopean Wall as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If granted then this city will have its second world heritage site while the first one is Nalanda Mahavihara which is already on that list.