25 Incredibly Beautiful World

Heritage Sites in India - Part 1

Rani Ki Vav at Patan, Gujarat

Rani Ki Vav, inGujaratis an
intricately constructed
stepwell built during the rule
of the Solanki dynasty. The
stepwell was excavated by
the Archaeological Survey of
India in the late 1980s and it
is one of the largest
structures of its kind.

Hill Forts of Rajasthan

Hill Forts of Rajasthan are a
series of sites located on the
rocky Aravalli mountain range
in Rajasthan representing the
Rajput architecture which are
fine examples of defensive
military architecture using the
terrain to their advantage.

The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Built by King Jaisingh II inJaipur
between 1727 and 1734, the
Jantar Mantarin Jaipur is a
collection of architectural
astronomical instruments and the
observatory is the largest and
best preserved. There are some
20 fixed instruments built in
masonry and is listed on the
UNESCO World Heritage List as
an expression of the
astronomical skills and
cosmological concepts of the
court of a scholarly prince at the
end of the Mughal period.

Red Fort Complex, Delhi

TheRed Fortor the Lal Qila is
a palace fort built in the 17th
century by the Mughal
Emperor Shahjahan inDelhi.
The majestic fort built in red
sandstone (hence the name
Red Fort) represents a blend of
Persian, Timuri and Indian
style of architecture.

Champaner-Pavagadh
Archaeological Park, Gujarat
TheChampaner-Pavagadh
Archaeological Parkin the
Panchmahal district in
Gujaratis a historic and
living cultural heritage
properties which include
prehistoric (chalcolithic)
sites, a hill fortress of an
early Hindu capital,
palaces, religious buildings,
residential precincts and
remains of the 16th century
state capital of Gujarat.
This is the only complete
and unchanged Islamic preMughal city.

Chhatrapati Shivaji
Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus,

formerly known as Victoria
Terminus, is a historic railway
station inMumbai,Maharashtra,
which was opened in 1887. Built
in the Gothic style of
architecture, it is one of the
busiest railway stations in India.

Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

, Near Bhopal
Spread in sandstone
formations, the rock shelters
ofBhimbetkaare spectacular
repository of rock paintings
within natural rock shelters
and are located in the foothills
of the Vindhya range in
Madhya Pradesh. The rock
shelters could be dated
between 1,00,000 BC to 1,000
AD and have unique rock
paintings with high diversity
of flora and fauna in the
surrounding dense forest to
offer.

Mahabodhi
Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya
Originally built by Emperor
Ashoka, in the 3rd century
around the Bodhi Tree, the
Mahabodhi Templeis a place
of importance for the
Buddhists as this is where
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha
was enlightened in 531 BC at
the age of 35. Built during
the Golden Age of Indian
culture during the Gupta
Dynasty, the main temple is
built in Indian architectural
style between 5th and 6th
centuries and is the oldest
temple in the Indian
subcontinent.

Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling,

Shimla, Coonoor)

The Mountain Railways of

India are the unique railway
lines built by during the
British India located in the
rugged hills of the Himalayas
and the Western Ghats. The
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,
Nilgiri Mountain Railway and
Kalka-Shimla Railway are
outstanding examples of
bold, ingenious engineering
solutions for the problem of
establishing an effective rail
link through a rugged,
mountainous terrain.

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

Humayuns Tomb, built by
Emperor Humayuns widow,
Biga Begum, is set at the
centre of a luxurious garden
and was a precursor
monument to theTaj Mahal.
Built in 1570, Humayuns
Tomb is often described as
the necropolis of the Mughal
Dynasty for its unique
architectural style.

Qutub Minar
and its Monuments, Delhi
TheQutub Minarand its
Monuments inDelhiis a
complex built in the 13th
century with the Qutb Minar,
a 72.5 metres red sandstone
tower, as the centre piece. Its
constuction was started by
Qutbuddin Aibak in 1192 and
was completed by Iltutmish
between 1211 to 1236.

Buddhist Monuments, Sanchi

Located about 45 km from
Bhopal,Madhya Pradesh, these
monuments are dated between
100 BC to 200 BC, but were
mostly developed during the
rule of Emperor Ashoka. The
stupas, temples, palaces and
monasteries in the sanctuary
make it culturally unique.

Elephanta
Caves,off the Mumbai coast
TheElephanta Cavesare a
network of sculpted Hindu
and Buddhist caves on the
Elephanta Island inMumbai
Harbour. The Hindu caves
contain rock cut stone
sculptures representing the
Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated
to Lord Shiva dating between
5th and the 8th centuries.

Photographic Attribution
Thank you all for your contributions!

Featured Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/theskumar/

Rani Ki Vav at Patan, Gujarat: www.flickr.com/photos/lesleyanddavidandbenanddaniel/4957592297
Hill Forts of Rajasthan: www.flickr.com/photos/michaelfoleyphotography/3996454055
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur: www.flickr.com/photos/stml/3253263858
Red Fort Complex, Delhi: www.flickr.com/photos/pranavsingh/3773752482
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat: www.flickr.com/photos/azwegers/9840188055
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), Mumbai:
www.flickr.com/photos/rohit_saxena/4111341452

Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Near Bhopal: www.flickr.com/photos/thinkglobalschool/11080768853

Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya: www.flickr.com/photos/francpallareslopez/11584645176
Mountain Railways of India (Darjeeling, Shimla, Coonoor): www.flickr.com/photos/theabbott/3082605880
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi: www.flickr.com/photos/ialla/2953330473
Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi: www.flickr.com/photos/sakeeb/5409603916
Buddhist Monuments, Sanchi: www.flickr.com/photos/jayamahesh/5029614718
Elephanta Caves, off the Mumbai coast: www.flickr.com/photos/rwoan/6522110803