This spot is believed to be exactly the place where the Buddha delivered his Second Sermon on Anattalakana Sutta to his five disciples. This monument is considered to be the most important and sacred among the structures at Sarnath. This solid cylindrical tower, 28.5 m in diameter at the base and 33.5 m in height, or 42.1 m including the foundations, consists of a circular drum to a height of 11.2 m, resting on the ground without the usual rectangular basement . It shows 8 faces at a height of 6 m, each with an arched recess for an image. Below the arched recess is a band of design. The upper band of ornamentation is generally a scroll of the lotus plant with leaves and buds only; while the lower band also having lotus scroll contains the full-blown flowers and the buds. The upper portion of the Stupa is built of large bricks. The outer facing of this portion has now vanished and it is very difficult to say whether this part was also cased in stone like the lower portion or only plastered over. Cunningham opines that this portion might have been simply plastered over. The central portion is elaborately decorated with Gupta designs, e.g. luxuriant foliation, geometric patterns, birds and flowers – the most intricate scroll-pattern. The well known figures of Boddhisattva standing and the Buddha teaching were found around this monument.
Dhamekh Stupa Map – Sarnath