Udayagiri's principal monastery is an extensive complex of brick structures spread across a hilltop and its flanks. The excavated portions reveal a courtyard monastery plan — a central stupa or shrine surrounded by cells for resident monks — that is characteristic of late-phase Indian Buddhism. The quality of the brick construction and the scale of the complex indicate that this was a major centre of learning and religious activity for the whole region.
The stepped well (vapi) is one of the finest at any Buddhist site in India, its precisely cut stone steps descending to the water table. Inscriptions found here helped archaeologists confirm the site's identity. The hilltop walk, though steep, leads to rock-cut sculptures of seated Buddhas and bodhisattvas that have weathered the centuries remarkably well. Carry water — there is no refreshment at the site itself.