Tourism in Patna is refers to tourism in capital city of Bihar state in India. Patna is known for its tourist destinations and people across the state and abroad visits Patna. This article deals with major tourist attractions in Patna.

History of tourism The documented history of tourism in the Patna region dates back to the 4th century BC. Greek geographer Megasthenes (c. 350–290 BC) visited the region during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. His observations were recorded in Indika.Surviving text of Indika - book by Megasthenes Dionysius was the son of Megasthenes, who visited Pataliputra in the reign of Ashoka the Great.Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, Chap. 21

Fa-Hien (ca. 337 - c. 422) was a Chinese tourist who traveled to acquire Buddhist scriptures and take back to China between 399 and 412.A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms: Being an account by the Chinese Monk Fa-Hien of his travels in India and Ceylon (A.D. 399-414) in search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline . Oxford, Clarendon Press. Reprint: New York, Paragon Book Reprint Corp. 1965. Hieun-Tsang visited the sacred Buddhist sites in Magadha and spent much time studying at the great Nalanda University between 629 and 645.Wriggins, Sally Hovey. Xuanzang: A Buddhist Pilgrim on the Silk Road. Westview Press, 1996. Revised and updated as The Silk Road Journey With Xuanzang. Westview Press, 2003. .

Types of tourists and tourism In the earliest days tourism in the region was purely for educational purposes. As Patna is one of the most sacred cities of religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Islam, many people travel to Patna as part of religious tourism. International tourists - Patna attracts tourists from all over the globe, though most are Buddhists from Japan and China. Domestic tourists visit the area on their respective pilgrimages.

Today, tourism in Patna is mainly either religious-based or moderated educational tourism. The Bihar government is also promoting adventure tourism.Ganges river banks as tourism destination in Patna

Attractions

Archaeological sites The history and tradition of Patna starts from the earliest dawn of civilization. The original name of Patna was Pataliputra. Its documented history starts around 600 BC.History of Patna As Patna has 2600 years of history and has seen a number of empires, there are numerous archaeological sites in the area. Kumhrar - The archaeological remains of the Mauryan period (322–185 BCE) have been discovered here, including the ruins of a hypostyle 80-pillared hall.Devise plan to save Kumhrar site:HC . The Times of India, 1 February 2002.Experts meet to preserve Kumhrar . The Times of India, 26 December 2006 The excavation finding here dates back to 600 BC, and marks the ancient capital of Ajatashatru, Chandragupta and Ashoka, and collectively the relics range through four continuous periods from 600 BC to 600 AD.Ancient city of Pataliputra (Patna) official website. Didarganj Yakshi is a fine example of Mauryan art. The sculpture is currently housed in the Patna Museum,Yakshni Museums in Bihar , Govt of Bihar official website. and is India's most famous piece of art. Agam Kuan, which means "unfathomable well", is said to date back to the period of the Maurya emperor Ashoka. The well is located east of Patna.Patna Buddhist-Tourism Patna , Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation. Chausagarh or Chausa, of Buxar, while very well known in the annals of Indian history as the place where in 1539 AD Sher Shah defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun, is also a place of great antiquity. Bulandibag Bhikhnapahari

Ganges river banks The Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) has recently started operating an air-conditioned floating restaurant MV Ganga Vihar from Gandhi Ghat offering dinner cruises twice a day.MV Ganga Vihar Floating Restaurant

The Tourism Department focuses on the Ganges Ghats in Patna as a major attraction. Motor boats are available to rent at a moderate price and are fitted with Yamaha 25 HP air-cooled two-stroke engines. Lucky tourists can spot Ganges dolphins.Ganges Ghats as Tourism destination in Patna There are a number of forts (like Raja Ghat, at Rani Ghat, collectarate Ghat) and pilgrimages (like Kali Mandir at Kali Ghat, Gurdwara Pahila Bara at Gai Ghat, and Gurdwara Gobind Ghat at Gaobind Ghat) situated on the bank of the Ganges in Patna. Tourists can visit Mahatma Gandhi Setu which is one of the longest bridges in the world and situated at Gaighat.

Religious complex Patna is a popular destination for people who are on pilgrimage.

Hindu pilgrimages Mahavir Mandir, located in Patna, is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Hanuman. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year. It is the second most-visited religious shrine in North India. The Mahavir Mandir Trusts have the second highest budget in North India after the famous Vaishno Devi shrine.Budget of Mahavir Mandir Patan Devi - The sacred temple is held to be one of the 51 Siddha Shakti Pithas in India. According to Puranic legends, the 'right thigh' of the corpse of Sati had fallen here when it was chopped off by Lord Vishnu with his 'Sudarshan Chakra'. The ancient temple, originally called Maa Sarvanand Kari Patneshwari, is believed to be the abode of the goddess Durga.Patan Devi Temple Kali Mandir Birla Mandir

Sikh pilgrimages Patna is one of the holiest cities in Sikhism, as the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, was born here in 1666 and spent his early years before moving to Anandpur. Patna was also honoured by visits from Guru Nanak in 1509 as well as Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1666. Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb is one of the Five Takhts of Sikhism. The Gurdwara at Patna Sahib is in remembrance of the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. Gurdwara Pahila Bara, commonly known as Gurdwara Ghai Ghat, is dedicated to Guru Nanak Dev, who during his visit to Patna stayed here in 1509 AD Guru Tegh Bahadur along with his family visited this place in 1666 ADGurdwara Pahila Bara Gurdwara Gobind Ghat is where the child Guru Gobind Singh used to play with his playmates on the bank of the Ganges. It is situated on the bank of river Ganges and hardly 200 yards from Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb. It is also known as Gurdwara Kangan Ghat.Gurdwara Gobind Ghat Gurdwara Guru ka Bagh - This Gurdwara is situated 2 miles away from the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh.Gurdwara Guru ka Bagh Gurdwara Bal Leela - This place is just a few meters away from Takhat Patna Sahib. Guru ji were playing with other children during his childhood. Gurdwara Bal Leela is also known as Maini Sangat.Gurdwara Bal Leela Gurdwara Handi Sahib - This Gurdwara was built in the memory of Guru Teg Bahadur, as he with Mata Gujri and Bala Preetam stayed here in 1728.Gurdwara Handi Sahib

Islamic pilgrimages Pathar ki Masjid - The Pathar Ki Masjid stands on the bank of the river Ganges near Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb. Parvez Shah, son of Jahangir, established Pathar Ki Masjid in 1621. The structure is built of stones, and so it got its name as Pathar Ki Masjid.Pathar ki Masjid Sher Shah Suri Masjid, a mosque, also known as Shershahi, is an example of the Afghan style of architecture.Sher Shah Suri Masjid Sher Shah Suri built this mosque in 1540–1545 to commemorate his reign. It is sited in the southwest corner of Purab Darwaza near Dhawalpura.Sher Shah Suri Masjid Maner Sharif is the place where Makhdum Daulat in 1608 died. It was then in 1616 that Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Bihar who was also his disciple, finished the construction of his mausoleum. Bihar Sharif - The city was an active centre of Muslim learning and art. Today it is a small town with a rich cultural past and is a major Muslim pilgrimage centre.Sufi circuit Phulwari Sharif - Some important places in Phulwari Sharif: Khanqah Mujeebia, Sheesh Mahal, Shahi Sangi Masjid, Imarat-E-Shariya. Begu Hajjam's Mosque - built in 1489 by the Bengal ruler Alauddin Hussani Shah.

Christian pilgrimages Padari ki haveli - The "Mansion of Padre", also known as St Mary's Church, is the oldest church in Bihar. When Roman Catholics arrived in Bihar, they built a small church in 1713 at a place now known as "Padri-ki-Haveli".Padri-Ki-Haveli Old Church of Patna

Jain pilgrimages

Kamaldah Jain Temple : Kamaldah Jain Temple Complex is the oldest Jain temple in Patna built in 18th century. This temple belonging to Śvetāmbara sect. of Jainism, is dedicated to Neminatha, the 22nd tirthankara. It is believed to be built on the site where Jain acharya Sthulabhadra (297—198 BCE) spent his last days. Sthulabhadra, a major preceptor of Śvētāmbara sect of Jainism, was the successor of Bhadrabahu The temple was built in 1729 CE (V.S. 1848) to commemorate the Sthulabhadra. The temple houses an inscription dating back to 1792 CE.

Infotainment complex Patna Planetarium is one of the largest planetariums in Asia.Patna Planetarium It was dedicated to the nation and opened to public on 1 April 1993. Patna Museum is the state museum of Bihar. It was built by the British during the British Raj in 1917 to house the historical artifacts found in the vicinity of Patna.The State Museum - Patna Museum Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan is classified as one of the 16 large zoos in the country and is also known as Sanjay Gandhi Botanical and Zoological Garden or the Patna Zoo. This is situated near Bailey Road in Patna.Patna Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan Srikrishna Science Centre - This institution forms a unit of the National Council of Science Museums, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture. It is located at the southwestern corner of the Gandhi Maidan.Exhibits / Facilities at Srikrishna Science Centre Of late it has become a popular destination, especially for the kids. A number of attractions have been added in the center.New Facilities at Shrikrishna Science Center Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library - One of the national libraries of India, it has a rare collection of Persian and Arabic manuscripts. It also hosts paintings made during Rajput and Mughal rule in India.Khuda Baksh Oriental Library Sinha Library

Buildings and structures

Golghar - The Golghar or Gol Ghar ("Round house"), located to the west of the Gandhi Maidan, is a granary built by Captain John Garstin in 1786.Golghar, 1888, Victoria & Albert Museum. Sabhyata Dwar- a sandstone arch monument located on the banks on River Ganga in the city of Patna. Mahatma Gandhi Setu, with a length of 5,450 meters, is one of the longest bridges in the world. The approach to the bridge from the south is a 50 km long flyover. There are 40 piers to this bridge. Digha–Sonpur Bridge is a rail-cum-road bridge provides easy roadway and railway link between northern and southern parts of Bihar. Kargil Chowk is a war memorial. It was established in the year 2000, near Gandhi Maidan. It is dedicated to the soldiers from Bihar and Jharkhand who sacrificed their lives in the Kargil War against Pakistan in 1999.Kargil Chowk Patna High Court was established on 3 February 1916, and later affiliated under the Government of India Act 1915 (5 & 6 Geo. 5. c. 61). The court is headquartered in Patna, the administrative capital of the state.Patna High Court Naghol kothi is a palace (Kothi) located in Patna. This building was built during the British Raj by a Mughal architect and is a splendid example of Mughal architecture.Nagholkothi This building is surrounded by a beautiful garden. Saheed Smarak is a famous landmark situated near Bihar Vidhan Sabha. It is a memorial to seven extraordinary students who attempted to hoist the Indian flag on top of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha in 1942 during British rule.Saheed Smarak Anugrah Seva Sadan, Established by Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, a care home for underprivileged masses.http://www.biharjagran.com/tourism.php