Travel tips - Explore India for World Heritage Sites

There are 32 World Heritage Sitesin India that are recognized by theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as of 2014.^[1][2] These are places of importance of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.^[3] The Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted on 17 November 1997 following the General Conference of the UNESCO held from 17 October 1972 to 21 November 1972. India’s first two sites inscribed on the list at the Seventh Session of the World Heritage held in 1983 were the Agra Fortand the Ajanta Caves. Over the years, 30 more sites have been inscribed, the latest being the Great Himalayan National Park in 2014.^[4] Of these 32 sites, 25 are cultural sites and the other seven are natural sites. A tentative list of further sites/properties submitted by India for recognition includes 51 sites. The cultural sites in India are marked by their brilliant craftsmanship on stone. Most of the temples of India which are inscribed on this list are built in stone, without any mortar and with sculpture carved on it.^[1][5]

Location of Heritage sites

Hill Forts of Rajasthan

Taj Mahal

Fatehpur Sikri

Agra Fort

Kaziranga National Park

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

Sanchi Stupa

Bhimbetka Rockshelters

Khajuraho

Bodh Gaya

Humayun's Tomb

Qutub Minar

Red Fort

Champaner-Pavagadh

Churches and Convents of Goa

Keoladeo National Park

Ajanta Caves

Ellora Caves

Elephanta Caves

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Chola Temples

Mahabalipuram

Hampi

Mountain Railways-Nilgiri

Mountain Railways-Darjeeling

Mountain Railways-Kalka-Shimla

Great Himalayan National Park

Pattadakal

Sun Temple, Konârak

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Rani ki vav

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

Sundarbans National Park

Western Ghats(Nilgiri)

Western Ghats(Kerala)

Western Ghats(Sahyadri)

Western Ghats(Karnataka)

Location of World Heritage Sites within India (

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List of Heritage sites

Name: as listed by the World Heritage Committee

Region: of the States and territories of India

Period: time period of significance, typically of construction

UNESCO data: the site's reference number; the year the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List; the criteria it was listed under: criteria(i) through (vi) are cultural, while (vii)through (x) are natural.

Description: brief description of the site

  † In danger

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary was listed as being danger (since 1992),but removed in 2011 following significant improvements.^[6] Hampi was added to the danger list in 1999, but removed in 2006 following successful conservation efforts.^[7][8]

More information: Sr. No. , Name ...

Sites by states

The list shows the number of the heritage sites statewise.

More information: Community, Exclusive sites ...

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Tentative list

Apart from the 32 sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, India has also maintained a list of tentative sites for recognition which has been submitted to UNESCO Committee for evaluation and acceptance. This procedure of prelisting is a prerequisite for the nominations for the World Heritage list to be accepted.^[78][79]

More information: Sr. No. , Name ...

Sr. No.	Name	Image	Region	UNESCO data	Period	Description
01	Temples at Bishnupur		Bishnupur,West Bengal, India	1998		West Bengal is famous for itsterracottatemples built in the 17th and 18th centuries and the balucheri sarees
02	Mattancherry Palace		Mattancherry,Kochi, Kerala, India	1998		Mattancherry Palace, also known as theDutch Palace, inMattancherry,Kochi, Kerala features Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi. (1998)
03	Mandu, Madhya Pradesh Group of Monuments		Mandu, Madhya Pradesh, India	1998		Mandu, Madhya Pradesh Group of Monuments are in the fortress town on a rocky outcrop about 100 km (62 mi) from Indore, and are celebrated for their fine architecture
04	Ancient Buddhist Site in Sarnath		Sarnath,Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India	1998		Ancient Buddhist Site in Sarnath,Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh whereGautama Buddhafirst taught theDharma, and where theBuddhist Sanghacame into existence through the enlightenment ofKondanna. (1998)
05	Sri Harimandir Sahib (The "Golden Temple")		Amritsar,Punjab, India	2004		Sri Harimandir Sahib (The "Golden Temple") in Amritsar,Punjab, is the holiest shrine inSikhism
06	River Island of Majuli		Brahmaputra River, Assam, India	2004		River Island of Majuli in midstream of theBrahmaputra River in Assam
07	Namdapha National Park		Arunachal Pradesh, India	2006		This is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot is located inArunachal Pradesh inNortheast India
08	Wild Ass Sanctuary		Kutchh,Gujarat, India	2006		Wild Ass Sanctuary, largest wildlife sanctuary in India is known for the endangered wild ass sub-species of Indian Wild Ass in Little Rann of Kutch
09	Kangchendzonga National Park		North Sikkim,Sikkim, India	2006		Kangchendzonga National Park, a national park and a Biosphere reserve is located in North Sikkimdistrict
10	Urban and Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh		Chandigarh, India	2006		Urban and Architectural Work of Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, is home to numerous architectural projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki and Albert Mayer
11	Excavated Remains at Nalanda		Nalanda,Bihar, India	2009		Excavated Remains atNalanda, an ancient center of higher learning, is one of the world's first residential universities with a number of ruined structures in Bihar
12	Bhitarkanika Conservation Area		Orissa, India	2009		A mangrove wetland in Orissa
13	Neora Valley National Park		Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India	2009		This is one of the richest biological zones in the entire Northeast situated in theKalimpongsubdivision under Darjeeling District in West Bengal
14	Desert National Park		Rajasthan, India	2009		This is an example of the ecosystem of theThar Desert
15	Mughal Gardens in Jammu and Kashmir		Chashma Shahi,Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India	2010		There are six gardens. They are Chashma Shahi, Shalimar Bagh, Pari Mahal,Verinag Garden,Achabal Gardensand Nishat Bagh
			Shalimar Bagh,Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India
			Verinag Garden,Anantnag,Jammu and Kashmir, India
			Pari Mahal,Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India
			Achabal Gardens,Anantnag,Jammu and Kashmir, India
			Nishat Bagh,Srinagar,Jammu and Kashmir, India
16	Silk Road Sites in India		Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir,Maharashtra,Puducherry,Punjab, Tamil Nadu andUttar Pradeshin India	2010		This is part of the extensive interconnected network of trade routes across theAsian continentconnecting East, South, andWestern Asiawith theMediterraneanworld, as well as North and Northeast Africaand Europe
17	Santiniketan		Shantiniketan,West Bengal, India	2010		Santiniketanmade famous byNobel LaureateRabindranath Tagore, whose vision became the present university townVisva-Bharati University
18	Ahmedabad		Gujarat, India	2011		The historic and most important city of the state of Gujarat in India- nominated for World Heritage Citystatus
19	Delhi		NCT Delhi, India	2012		India's historic national Capital- nominated forWorld Heritage City status
20	The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad		Hyderabad, India	2011		Golconda Fort,Qutb Shahi Tombs,Charminar
21	The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai		Mumbai, India	2012
22	Apatani Cultural Landscape		Arunachal Pradesh, India	2014
23	Archaeological remains of Lothal		Gujarat, India	2014
24	Bahá'í House of Worship		New Delhi, India	2014
25	Cellular Jail		Andaman Islands, India	2014
26	Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants		Chettinad,Tamil Nadu, India	2014
27	Chilika Lake		Odisha, India	2014
28	Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate		Karnataka (Gulbarga,Bidar, Bijapur) and Telangana (Hyderabad), India	2014
29	Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City		Bhubaneswar,Odisha, India	2014
30	Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India		India	2014
31	Padmanabhapuram Palace		Kerala, India	2014
32	Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala		Karnataka(Belur andHalebidu), India	2014
33	Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town		Karnataka, India	2014
34	Narcondam Island		Andaman and Nicobar islands, India	2014
35	The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom		Jammu & Kashmir, India	2014	3000 BC to 1000 BC	Prehistoric occupational culture ofNeolithic era, Megalithic era and early Modern Period
36	Thembang Fortified Village		India	2014
37	The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways		Warangal, Telangana, India	2014
38	Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement		India	2014
39	Sites along the Uttarapath, Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Grand Trunk Road		India	2015
40	Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty		India	2014
41	Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam		Srirangam,Tiruchirapalli,Tamil Nadu, India	2014
42	Dholavira: A Harappan City		Dholavira	2014
43	Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami-Pattadakal		Aihole,BadamiandPattadakal inKarnataka, India	2015		Cradle of Indian rock cut architecture
44	Jaipur		Jaipur	2015
45	Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India		India	2015
46	Mountain Railways of India (Extension)		India	2014

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Nominated Sites

The following sites have been nominated for world heritage site:^[80]

1. Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
2. Silent Valley National Park