Cultural Value
Stonehenge was created with the purpose of ritualistic value for the community it served. Aligned towards the sun, Stonehenge is thought to be an area of religious importance. As other Neolithic stone structures in Britain are orientated towards the sun, it is believed that the period of time held a great importance towards the worship of the Sun. The area was important, as the construction materials of the area are not local, meaning that the great stones were brought from a distance away. Without modern transportation equipment, this would have been a time-consuming and expensive undertaking.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the site of Buddhist monument that has varied in its cultural value. The Stupa is a representation of the deep history that Buddhism has had within the Indian subcontinent, and the reverent role that the emperor Ashoka the Great maintained for the religion. It holds great symbolic value in that it honors and represents Buddhism, as the shrine maintains a vast collection of Buddhist relics that are protected from the elements.

Purpose
While the direct purpose of Stonehenge cannot be determined, it is hypothesized that the area served both religious and secular functions. Its orientation towards the sun signifies a religious importance, as sun worship was seen as an integral part of religious practice during the area. This is reinforced by the great effort it would have taken to construct the moment in ancient times, as the stones used for the monument are not native to the area. However, the design and location of Stonehenge signifies that the area could be used as a calculator of a sorts to determine various cosmic effects. It would have taken great scientific knowledge to mathematically calculate the solstice alignment of the monument, and studies have demonstrated that Stonehenge can be used to accurately predict eclipses.

The Great Stupa of Sanchi originally served as a practical monument in order to protect the relics of the Buddha and his followers. However, this grew later during the monuments construction, as it became to represent the strong Buddhist presence within the local community. This is due to the fact that the town near which these monuments are supported has been historically known for supporting a large Buddhist monastic population. The enlargement of the Stupa served as a symbol of local devotion to the religion, and reinforced its presence in the area.

Similarities and Differences
Both the Great Stupa and Stonehenge, while being monuments continents away, served a number of very similar purposes. Both were religious monuments that represented local devotion, and held practical as well as spiritual significance. These monuments required vast expenditures of capital and labor in order to establish, which underlines their importance to both the ruling class, as well as the common citizens of the area. As such, they were preserved and remodeled by local communities in order to preserve their significance, even if this was later abandoned.

While there are similarities, there are significant differences between the two monuments. The Great Stupa is much newer than Stonehenge, and as such, has a clearly defined meaning and relevance that is still identifiable in the modern world. Stonehenge, being a Neolithic structure, is much more mysterious, as it predates established modern religious, cultural, and historical narrative. As such, much of the meaning and significance behind Stonehenge can only be hypothesized, as there is no recorded documentation to support any particular interpretation.