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A total of 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE serve as some of the finest examples of ancient Indian art.
Ellora is one of the largest rock-cut Hindu temple cave complexes in the world. Kailasha Temple (pictured) is the grandest, and is especially noted for its elaborate decoration and collection of sculptures.
This 16th-century Mughal imperial fortress is effectively a walled city, containing as it does several palaces, including Jahangiri Mahal (pictured), several large audience halls, and two mosques.
The finest example of Indo-Islamic architecture found anywhere is also one of the world's most recognized historic monuments. The Taj Mahal was completed in 1653, commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Built in the 13th century and styled to resemble the chariot of the solar deity Surya, this Hindu temple is further enhanced by decorative motifs of wild animals, musicians, and dancers.
The collection of monuments built around the town of Mahabalipuram in the 7th and 8th centuries reflect the architecture of the Pallava dynasty. Several different temples are represented, plus some truly mesmerizing rock reliefs, including the giant Descent of the Ganges.
Located in the saturated floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga National Park draws wildlife enthusiasts from around the world for its star residents, the greater one-horned rhinoceros. The largest population of these regal beasts in the world are found here. Sadly though, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) designates this species as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
An important wetland for both migratory and resident birds, Keoladeo National Park has recorded over 350 species, including 15 species of heron. Pictured are a group of great white pelicans.
The architectural legacy of Old Goa, once the capital of Portuguese India, is found in its impressive collection of churches and convents that were built in the 16th and 17th centuries in Gothic, Manueline, Mannerist, and Baroque styles. One of the most visited of these is the Basilica of Bom Jesus (pictured), a venerated Catholic site of pilgrimage that preserves the remains of Saint Francis Xavier (São Francisco Xavier).
No less that 23 temples, both Hindu and Jain and built in the 10th and 11th centuries, occupy the site known as the Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
The astonishing Garuda shrine in the form of stone chariot at Vitthala temple is one of the many outstanding carved structures known collectively as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.
Central to the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal is the Galaganatha Temple, built around 750 CE in the Badami Chalukya architectural style.
Three temples constitute the Great Living Chola Temples. Completed between the early 11th and 12th centuries, these are: Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur (pictured); the Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram; and Airavatesvara Temple at Kumbakonam.
Sundarbans National Park encloses the world's largest and richest mangrove forest. It's also one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger.
As its name suggests, the Valley of the Flowers supports a wonderful variety of colorful alpine flowers. Complementing this vivid carpet of flora is the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east.
The showstopper at Sanchi is the fabulous Great Stupa (pictured), one of the oldest stone buildings in India. Some of its structural elements date back to 150 BCE.
The final resting place of Mughal emperor Humayun is a popular Delhi visitor attraction. He died in 1556, but had to wait a while before moving into the monumental shrine. It was only commissioned in 1558, by his first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum.
Looming over the cluster of Indo-Islamic monuments from the 13th and 14th centuries at Lal Kot is the landmark Qutb Minar. At 72.5 m (238 ft), this is the world's tallest brick-built minaret.
This site comprises three mountain railways that were built in the late 19th and early 20th century as narrow-gauge lines: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; the Nilgiri Mountain Railway; and the Kalka–Shimla Railway (pictured).
Of great cultural significance, the Mahabodhi Temple Complex marks the site where Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.
The Bhimbetka rock shelters are a series of natural rock shelters in the foothills of the Vindhya Range, central India. They are remarkable for the rock paintings from the hunter-gatherer societies of the Mesolithic to the historical period, and remain one of the largest repositories of prehistoric art in the country.
Formerly known as the Victoria Terminus, this historic train station in Mumbai was designed by Frederick William Stevens (1847–1900) and completed in 1887, the year marking 50 years of Queen Victoria's reign.
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park encloses the remains of Champaner, a short-lived capital of the Gujarat Sultanate in the 16th century. The Jama Mosque (pictured) numbers among the most important buildings and features both Hindu and Muslim architectural elements.
Built on the orders of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the mid-17th century, the Red Fort is revered as the site where the independence of India was first celebrated. The occasion is remembered every year within its walls on August 15, India's Independence Day.
One of India's more unusual World Heritage Sites is Jantar Mantar in Jaipur. This is the country's most significant historic astronomical observatory, comprising 20 astronomical instruments that were designed and built for naked eye observations of the night sky.
The Western Ghats mountain range is considered one of the most significant biodiversity regions in the world. Running along the eastern coast of the Indian subcontinent, the Ghats contain a sizeable proportion of the country's flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to this region.
Rajasthan has over 100 fortifications set on hills and mountainous terrain, with six designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their exceptional cultural and architectural merit.
Known as the Queen's Stepwell, Rani-ki-Vav in the town of Patan stands as one of the finest examples of a stepwell found anywhere. The structure is vast, consisting of seven levels, each of which is sumptuously decorated with stone carvings and sculptures depicting religious and secular themes and literary works.
Characterized by high snow-capped peaks, fragrant alpine meadows, and verdant riverine forests, India's Great Himalayan National Park is a haven for wildlife, including the Western tragopan, an endangered gamebird, and the timid musk deer.
The Nalanda Mahavihara exudes a learned air, comprising as it does the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE.
Named for the third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga (also spelled Khangchendzonga), this remote park is protected for its majestic landscape and the fact that in Tibetan Buddhism the entire region is regarded as sacred soil. Pictured is the area near Samiti Lake, a popular stopping point on the route to the Goechala Pass for long distance hikers.
The Chandigarh Capitol Complex in Chandigarh is a government compound designed by the esteemed architect Le Corbusier (1887–1965). It's a transnational site, shared with Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Japan, and collectively known as The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement. Pictured is the famous Open Hand Monument.
Among the treasures hidden within Ahmadabad's historic city is the Jama Masjid (pictured), one of numerous mosques together with tombs and shrines that distinguish this ancient destination.
Established in 1862, the Bombay High Court building in Mumbai is listed as a rare public building in the Victorian Gothic style. The city's collection of Art Deco structures, which include cinemas and apartment blocks, also fall under the auspices of UNESCO.
The city of Jaipur, the state capital of Rajasthan, numbers several buildings quite magnificent in their design, a famous example being the Hawa Mahal Palace, constructed using red and pink sandstone and completed in 1799.
Decorated with stone carvings and sculptures in granite and dolerite that depict regional dance customs, the Ramappa Temple complex in fact consist of three temples constructed between 1212 and 1234.
Dholavira contains the ruins of an ancient city of the Indus Valley civilization. It was one of the centers of the Harappan Civilization, which thrived around 3,000 years ago.
Sources: (UNESCO World Heritage Centre) (IUCN Red List) (CBS News) (Britannica)
See also: Amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South America
Dazzling in its splendor is the Buland Darwaza, the early 17th-century gate to the Jami Masjid Mosque—one of the principal buildings at Fatehpur Sikri.
Located on the Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor, this collection of Hindu cave temples feature the colossal Trimurti Sadashiva (three-faced Shiva) sculpture.
A biodiversity hotspot, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is home to several endangered species, among them the Indian elephant, which is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Visiting India is to discover a vast land rich in culture and tradition. A sumptuous mix of spiritual beliefs and architecture, plus some of the most important wildlife hotspots on the planet, has led UNESCO to designate no less than 40 World Heritage Sites within India's borders. These must-see destinations include magnificent palaces, decorative monuments, and evocative temples. Also listed is an entire mountain range and a state capital! So, are you ready to start ticking off India's most significant tourist attractions?
Click through and delve into the country's cultural, historic, scientific, and natural world.
India's impressive World Heritage Sites
Discover the cultural and natural wonders of this vast country
TRAVEL Unesco
Visiting India is to discover a vast land rich in culture and tradition. A sumptuous mix of spiritual beliefs and architecture, plus some of the most important wildlife hotspots on the planet, has led UNESCO to designate no less than 40 World Heritage Sites within India's borders. These must-see destinations include magnificent palaces, decorative monuments, and evocative temples. Also listed is an entire mountain range and a state capital! So, are you ready to start ticking off India's most significant tourist attractions?
Click through and delve into the country's cultural, historic, scientific, and natural world.