Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha

Lumbini Sacred Garden in Rupandehi district is the site where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would become Gautama Buddha. The site was confirmed as the actual birthplace when Emperor Ashoka visited in 249 BCE and erected a commemorative pillar. Inscribed in 1997 under criteria (iii) and (vi), Lumbini is one of the world's most significant religious sites.

The Maya Devi Temple marks the exact spot of the birth. Excavations (1992–1996) by the Lumbini Development Trust revealed a brick structure beneath the existing temple, with a nativity sculpture now dated to the 3rd century BCE.

The Ashoka Pillar (249 BCE) is the oldest surviving inscribed monument in Nepal. Its Brahmi script inscription reads: 'Here the Blessed One was born.' The pillar was identified by German archaeologist Alois Anton Führer in 1896.

The sacred pond (Puskarni) is traditionally the site where Mayadevi bathed before and after giving birth. Bodhi trees (Ficus religiosa) grow throughout the garden.

The Lumbini Development Master Plan (1978, designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange) divides the sacred garden into zones: Monastic Zone (east: Theravada; west: Mahayana/Vajrayana), Cultural Centre and Sacred Garden.

Over 50 countries have constructed monasteries and pagodas within the Monastic Zone, making Lumbini one of the world's most diverse Buddhist architectural parks.