Gopachal Parvat Jain Sculptures

The Gopachal Parvat rock-cut sculptures are one of the most impressive Jain heritage sites in central India. Carved directly into the cliff face of the Gopachal Hill - the same hill on which Gwalior Fort stands - between 1440 and 1473 CE during the reign of Tomar rulers Keerti Singh and Dungar Singh, the site contains over 1,500 sculptures depicting the 24 Jain Tirthankaras in seated and standing meditative poses.

The largest is a 42-foot standing idol of Tirthankara Parsvanath. Many sculptures were defaced during Mughal Emperor Babur's capture of Gwalior in 1527 but a significant number survive intact. The sculptures fall into five groups on different faces of the hill, with the Gopachal (SE) and Siddhanchal (Urvahi) groups being the most impressive.

The site is on UNESCO's Tentative World Heritage List as part of the Gwalior Fort complex. Accessible from the main fort road. Included in the fort entry ticket.