About 250 years after the Enlightenment, the Buddhist Emperor, Ashoka visited the site and is considered the founder of the Mahabodhi Temple. According to the tradition, Ashoka, as well as establishing a monastery, erected a diamond throne shrine at this spot with a canopy supported by four pillars over a stone representation of the Vajrasana, the Seat of Enlightenment.
( http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/bodgaya.htm)
There are many other temples or monasteries in Bodh Gaya from many other nations with a Buddhist tradition such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet . They are all very close to the Mahabodhi temple.
The Mahabodhi Mahavihara was declared a World Heritage Property by the UNESCO in 2002.
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