### 20 Interesting Facts About Patna
1. Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, originally known as **Pataliputra**. 2. It was founded in 490 BCE by the king Ajatashatru of the Haryanka dynasty. 3. Pataliputra served as the seat of power for the mighty Mauryan and Gupta empires. 4. The famous Greek ambassador **Megasthenes** visited the city during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya and wrote about it in his book *Indica*. 5. Patna is the birthplace of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh; the **Takht Sri Patna Sahib** stands at his birthplace. 6. The **Mahatma Gandhi Setu** spanning the Ganges at Patna was once the longest river bridge in India (5.7 km). 7. The **Golghar**, a massive beehive-shaped granary, was built by the British in 1786 in response to the devastating famine of 1770. 8. Legendary ancient astronomer and mathematician **Aryabhata** is believed to have operated an observatory near Pataliputra (Taregana). 9. The master political strategist and economist **Chanakya** (Kautilya) lived and worked in Pataliputra. 10. The city is geographically unique, situated at the confluence of four rivers: the Ganges, Sone, Gandak, and Punpun. 11. The **Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library** houses one of the finest collections of Persian and Arabic manuscripts in the world. 12. Patna University, established in 1917, is the seventh oldest university in the Indian subcontinent. 13. In 2014, Patna briefly held the record for the world's longest free Wi-Fi zone, spanning over 20 kilometers. 14. Archaeological excavations at **Kumhrar** have unearthed the remains of an 80-pillared hall from the Mauryan empire. 15. The city was revived in the 16th century by the Afghan ruler **Sher Shah Suri**, who rebuilt it and is credited with its modern name, Patna. 16. The East India Company established a trading post here in 1620, primarily for the trade of calico and silk. 17. **Agam Kuan** (the unfathomable well) is an ancient well dating back to Emperor Ashoka's time, believed to be the site of his torture chamber before his conversion to Buddhism. 18. The world-famous **Sonepur Cattle Fair**, the largest animal fair in Asia, takes place annually just across the river from Patna. 19. The **Patna Museum** houses the famous Didarganj Yakshi statue, a masterpiece of Mauryan art discovered locally. 20. The most significant and culturally distinct festival celebrated in Patna is **Chhath Puja**, dedicated to the Sun God.