Patna is the capital of Bihar and an important trade hub in the eastern part of India. Though there are just a handful of sites of tourist interest in Patna, it is the gateway for visiting the Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Vaishali, Rajgir or Rajgriha, Nalanda, Bodhgaya, and Pawapuri.

Patna was a powerful kingdom that ruled the Indian sub-continent in the ancient times. The kingdom was at its peak for over a thousand years: from 6th century B.C. to 5th century A.D and in its two millennia long existence it has been known by many names- Pataligram, Pataliputra, Kusumpur, Pushpapura, and the present day Patna.

During the British reign in India a number of imposing structures were constructed in Patna.. Credit for designing the massive and majestic buildings of colonial Patna goes to the architect, I. F. Munnings. Most of these buildings reflect either Indo-Saracenic influence (like Patna Museum and the state Assembly), or overt Renaissance influence like the Raj Bhawan and the High Court.

 
Tourist Attractions:

 Patna Museum: The well-known museum has a fine collection of stone and bronze sculptures and terracotta figures of Hindu and Buddhist artists dating from the Mauryan and Gupta periods. Didarganj Yakshi is the most prized collection of this museum. The architecture of the museum is inspired by the Mughal and Rajput styles.

Gandhi Maidan Area: South of the river, the Gandhi MaidanArea is a large park area where you can see the Gol Ghar and the Gandhi Museum.
    Golghar (a beehive shaped granary) - One of the oldest British buildings in Patna. You can get some fines views of the city and the Ganges from the top of this structure.
    Gandhi Museum: Has a collection of pictures that gives an insight into Mahatma Gandhi’s life.

 Qila House (Jalan House) houses an interesting museum famous for its jade collection, Chinese paintings and other far eastern work of art. The museum is a private collection of Diwan Bahadur Radhakrishan Jalan.

Harmandir Saheb Takth, constructed by Punjab ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh, consecrates the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. The shrine is considered by Sikhs as one of the four most holy shrines of the country. The shrine has fine latticework and marble domes.

The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library is one of India's renowned and fascinating libraries. Here you can find a vast collection Persian and Arabic manuscripts and some fine Mughal and Rajput paintings.

 Getting There:

Patna is well connected by rail to all parts of country. Frequent trains are available from cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Varanasi, Siliguri.
Patna has an airport with daily filght from New Delhi, Kolkata, Ranchi, Chennai, Hydrabad, Banglore and Lucknow.
Patna has a good road network connecting the city to other nearby tourist destinations like Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Ranchi, Siliguri. Buses and taxis are easily available from Patna.