Nagarjunakonda access area

Nagarjunakonda is an island in the reservoir of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, carrying Buddhist remains whose history goes back to the 3rd century BCE. Its name comes from Nagarjuna, the Buddhist thinker believed to have taught here. More than 30 old Buddhist structures survive here, among them stupas, chaityas and viharas, and the site has not been built over by later construction.

The Nagarjunakonda Museum on the island displays finds from excavations carried out in the 1920s and 1930s, including carved sculptures and early pottery. Guided tours and exhibitions explain the relics, and the island is ringed by hills and the waters of the lake.