37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India Most of Which You Probably didn’t Know

How well do you know your country? Did you know that India has 37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and ranks 6th in the whole world in this regard. I am sure we all are aware of its diverse topography and historic evolution. It is due to this evolution, natural or man-made, that India has a bounty of such places which have been nominated by the World Heritage Convention as the World Heritage Sites. These sites, owing to their outstanding international importance, deserve exceptional protection and preservation.

Let us take a look at those sites from India which have been named in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

1. Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Taj Mahal was built by emperor Shahjahan in the memory of his third wife Begum Mumtaz Mahal and was styled in a good mix of Persian, Islamic and Indian architecture. This world known monument was built over a period of 16 years and was added to the list in 1983.

2. Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh

A mere 22 temples having survived of the 85 that were built, they were included in the list on October 5, 1982 for their unique artistic creation and being a proof of the Chandela Culture which existed before the Muslim invasion of India in the early 12th century.

3. Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra

These are a set of 31 rock cut Buddhist cave monuments and were built in two phases – first in the 2nd century BC and the second in the 5th and 6th century AD during the Gupta period. These caves depict the richly decorated fresco paintings reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings and sculptures in Sri Lanka.

4. Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

These caves date back to 600-1000 AD and depict the magnificent artistic creations of the ancient civilization of India. A set of 34 caves and temples, these caves are a beautiful mix of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism forms of religious arts. It was included in the list in 1983.

5. Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh

Added to the list in 1983, this monument is known for its fusion of Persian art of the Timurid and Indian art forms. It is situated near the Taj Mahal and was built during the reigns of 16th century till early 18th century. Located on the banks of river Yamuna, the complex houses several towers, palaces and mosques.

6. Sun Temple, Odisha

This temple in Konark is a 13th century temple dedicated to the Sun god, Surya and is built in the form of the chariot of Surya, having 24 wheels and led by six horses. Constructed from oxidizing weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narsimhadeva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty and was added to the list in the year 1984.

7. Kaziranga National Park, Assam

This national park made its way to the list in 1985 for being a home to the largest population of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros. It is located in the flood plains of river Bramhaputra’s south bank.

8. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Built by the Pallava kings in the 7th and 8th centuries, this group of monuments has been carved out of rock along the Coromondel Coast, around 58 kms from Chennai. The group consists of ‘Ratha Temples’ which are temples in the form of chariots, Mandapas, 11 Cave Sanctuaries covered with bas-relief including the largest open air bas-relief in the world.

Rock-relief of Descent of the Ganges (which is the largest open air Rock relief also known as Arjuna’s Penance.

9. Manas Wildlife Sancutuary, Assam

This wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of 12,000 acres in the plains of Manas river in the foothills of Himalayas on the border with Bhutan. It made its way into the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1985 due to its unique natural environment which is home to 21 most-threatened species of mammals, 36 reptile species, 3 amphibians and 350 species of birds.

10. Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan

This national park was included in the list in 1985 for being home to 364 species of wintering birds that flock in large number and arrive from distant countries like Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. It is located within the Indus-Ganges Monsoon Forest Bio-geographical Province and covers an area of 6,880 acres.

11. Churches and Convents of Goa

These monuments were built by the Portuguese colonial rulers of Goa between 16th and 18th centuries. They were included in the list in the year 1985. The most significant of this group is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which enshrines the tomb containing the relics of St. Francis Xavier.

12. Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka

On the banks of river Tungabhadra in the state of Karnataka, lies this sombre yet flamboyant town of Hampi which includes the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of Vijayanagara Empire.

Dravidian temples and palaces abound in Hampi which is an important Hindu and Jai religious centre, the most prominent being the Virupaksha Temple. This group was added to the list in the year 1986.

13. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

This complex was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in the second half of the 16th century. It houses monuments and temples, all in consistence with the perfect Mughal architectural style and includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid, the Bulland Darwaza, the Panch Mahal and the Tomb of Salim Chishti. It was added to the list in 1986.

14. Group of Monuments in Pattadakal, Karnataka

Situated in the holy city of Pattadakal, this group of monuments comprises of eight temples dedicated to Shiva, a Shaivite Sanctuary and a Jain Narayana temple. The most popular is the Virupaksha Temple which is considered the most outstanding architectural edifice.

The temples overall represent a remarkable fusion of the architectural features of northern (Nagara) and southern (Dravida) India. The group added to the list in 1987.

15. Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra

Believed to have been dating back to timeline between the 5th and 8th centuries, these caves contain two groups of caves, one being a group of 5 Hindu caves and the other being a smaller group of 2 Buddhist caves. These caves are located on the Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbour and were added to the list in 1987.

16. The Great Living Chola Temples, Tamil Nadu

These temples, testifying the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting were built by the Chola Empire stretched overall Tamil Nadu in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was included in the list in the year 1987.

17. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal

Situated in the Sundarbans Ganges river delta bordering the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal, this national park is also the largest estuarine mangrove forest in the world along with tiger reserve and biosphere reserve. It is one of the largest for the Bengal Tiger and home to a variety of birds, reptiles and invertebrate species. The national park made its way into the list in the year 1987.

18. Nanda Devi and the Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand

These national parks were added to list in 1988 owing to the scenic and gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park and the rugged mountain wilderness of the Nanda Devi National Park.

They are located in the West Himalayas and are known for not only the unique natural beauty but also for home to rare and endangered animals like Asiatic Black Bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep.

19. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

This group of Buddhist monuments is believed to have been built between the 200 BC and 100 BC and comprises of Buddhist sanctuaries and Buddhist religious monuments. The Buddhist sanctuaries have a plethora of monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries. It was included in the list in 1989.

20. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi

This magnificent monument was built in 1570 by the second Mughal Emperor Humayun’s widow Biga Begum and its architectural style has been acclaimed as the ‘necropolis of the Mughal dynasty’. It was added to the list in the year 1993 for its cultural importance.

21. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi

This complex, comprising of the Qutb Minar (a red sandstone tower) was added to the list in 1993 for its unique representation of the Islamic architectural and artistic excellence. The complex also houses itineraries, The Alai Darwaza Gate, the Alai Minar, the Qubbat-Ul-Islam Mosque, the Tomb of Iltumish and an Iron Pillar.

22. Mountain Railways of India, West Bengal-Tamil Nadu-Himachal Pradesh

This UNESCO World Heritage Site comprises of two railways in the rugged hill regions of the Himalayas of northern India (the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway) and two railways in the lush Western Ghats of southern India (Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Matheran Hill Railway).

These railways were added to the list at different intervals in 1999, 2005 and 2008 for being outstanding examples of bold, ingenious engineering solutions for the problem of establishing an effective rail link through a rugged mountainous terrain.

23. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar

This complex is spread over an area of 12 acres and was inscribed in the list as a unique property of cultural and archaeological importance. The first temple in the complex was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC and the rest followed in the 5th and 6th centuries.

24. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh

The rock shelters comprise a group of 5 clusters of rock shelters with paintings that are inferred to date from the Mesolithic period right through to the Historical period. Discovered in 1957, this site was added to the list in 2003 as a unique cultural property representing a convergence displayed in the art form between the people and the landscape with links to the hunting gathering economy of the past.

25. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra

Formerly known as Victoria Terminus, it is one of busiest railway stations in India and was built as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. This famous architectural landmark in Gothic style made its way to the list in 2004.

26. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat

This site is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city and comprises of remains of the 16th century capital of the state of Gujarat along with a hill fortress, vestiges, fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, agricultural structures, water installations (from the 8th to 14th centuries), all set in a spectacular landscape.

This site is also famous of the Kalikamata Temple and Jain Temple and was included in the list in 2004.

27. Red Fort Complex, Delhi

Also known as the Lal Qila, it is a palace fort built in the 7th century by Shahjahan and throws light on the glory of Mughal rule and its architectural, artistic aesthetic creativity. The design of this fort represents a blend of Persian, Timuri and Indian architectural styles and is considered the high-point of the Mughal architecture. It was included in the list in 2007.

28. Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

This monument found its place in the list in 2010 for having being an ‘expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period’. Built between 1727-1734, it is the largest of the five similar monuments built by Maharaja Jai Singh at various other locations.

29. Western Ghats

The Western Ghats comprise of a total of 39 properties (20 in Kerala, 10 in Karnataka, 5 in Tamil Nadu and 4 in Maharashtra) including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests. They are also called the Sahyadri Mountains, spread along the western side on India and are considered as one of the world’s ten ‘hottest biodiversity hotspots’. The Western Ghats were added to list in the year 2012.

30. Hill Forts of Rajasthan

These forts comprise of Chittor Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amer Fort and Jaisalmer Fort. These fort complexes include palaces, Hindu and Jain temples, urban centers and trading centers and were included in the list n 2013 for representing a typology of Rajput military hill architecture. A style characterized by its mountain peak settings, utilizing the defensive properties of the terrain.

31. Rani ki Vav, Gujarat

Translating into ‘the Queen’s Step-well’, it is known for its size, which is 64m in length, 20m in width and 27m in depth. More than 500 sculptures of Gods, most of which are in devotion to Lord Vishnu. It was added to the list in 2014.

32. Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh

This national park is a part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and includes 25 forest types along with a rich assemblage of rare and endangered fauna species. This site comprises of alpine peak, alpine meadows, riverine forests and the upper mountain glacial and snow melt source origin of various rivers. It was added to the list in the year 2014.

33. Nalanda, Bihar

The most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent, it comprises of stupas, shrines, viharas and important artwork in stucco, stone and metal. The archaeological remains of this monastic and scholastic institution date back from the 3rd century BCE to 13th century CE. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2016.

34. Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim

This national park owes its mention in the list in 2016 to its unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers, snow-clad mountains which are covered with ancient forests and the world’s third highest peak Mount Khangchendzonga.

35. The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, Chandigarh

This site is houses various architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki and Albet Mayer. It was added to the list in 2016.

36. Historic City of Ahmedabad, Gujarat

This walled city which was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the 15th century and depicts the rich architectural heritage from the Sultanate period. In the form of Bhadra citadel, walls and gates of the fort city, mosques, tombs and Hindu and Jain temples. The city made its way to the list in 2017.

37. The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, Maharashtra

This whole ensemble consists of the Bombay High Court, Rajabai Clock Tower, Eros Cinema and University of Mumbai, all of which are a collection of the Victorian Gothic buildings and Art Deco Buildings. They were added to the list in 2018.

All these monuments and places are sure to evoke a sense of pride for our country. So its not just the Himalayas, the desserts or the beaches, India has so many reasons to be a country worth visiting and a home to be proud of!