List of 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India By Sep 2023

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala in its World Heritage list. These magnificent Hoysala temples in Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura of Karnataka have made India’s 42nd entry into the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This great honour comes hot on the heels of Santiniketan by Rabindranath Tagore being awarded the same. The declaration of Santiniketan to this list was made during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee (online) held in Saar Arabia, which stressed itself to declare its global significance.

What is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

A World Heritage site is a place of exceptional cultural, historical, scientific or natural importance to the international community, designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These sites have been chosen for their exceptional universal value and are therefore absolutely necessary to the collective heritage of mankind.

World Heritage – built, natural, or of mixed (both man-made and natural) outstanding universal value by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). These are sites of outstanding universal value to humanity and have been recognized as World Heritage Sites, so that they are preserved for future generations.

To qualify as a World Heritage site, a place has to satisfy the standards set by UNESCO. There are some main criteria:

1. Human creative genius.
2. Interchange of values.
3. Testimony to cultural tradition.
4. Significance in human history.
5. Traditional human settlement.
6. Heritage connected with events of global importance.
7. Natural phenomena or beauty.
8. Major stages of Earth’s history.
9. Significant ecological and biological processes.
10. The vital habitat area.

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:

S.No	Name of Sites	Year	Location
1	Ajanta Caves	1983	Maharashtra
2	Ellora Caves	1983	Maharashtra
3	Agra Fort	1983	Agra
4	Taj Mahal	1983	Agra
5	Sun Temple	1984	Orissa
6	Mahabalipuram Monuments	1984	Tamil Nadu
7	Kaziranga National Park	1985	Assam
8	Keoladeo National Park	1985	Rajasthan
9	Manas Wildlife Sanctuary	1985	Assam
10	Churches and Convents of Goa	1986	Goa
11	Monuments of Khajuraho	1986	Madhya Pradesh
12	Monuments of Hampi	1986	Karnataka
13	Fatehpur Sikri	1986	Agra
14	Elephanta Caves	1987	Maharashtra
15	Great Living Chola Temples	1987	Tamil Nadu
16	Pattadakal Monuments	1987	Karnataka
17	Sundarbans National Park	1987	West Bengal
18	Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park	1988	Uttarakhand
19	Monuments of Buddha	1989	Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
20	Humayun’s Tomb	1993	Delhi
21	Qutub Minar and its Monuments	1993	Delhi
22	Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri	1999	Darjeeling
23	Mahabodhi Temple	2002	Bihar
24	Bhimbetka Rock Shelters	2003	Madhya Pradesh
25	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus	2004	Maharashtra
26	ChampanerPavagadh Archaeological Park	2004	Gujarat
27	Red Fort	2007	Delhi
28	Jantar Mantar	2010	Delhi
29	Western Ghats	2012	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra
30	Hill Forts	2013	Rajasthan
31	Rani Ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell)	2014	Gujarat
32	Great Himalayan National Park	2014	Himachal Pradesh
33	Nalanda	2016	Bihar
34	Khangchendzonga National Park	2016	Sikkim
35	Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex)	2016	Chandigarh
36	The Historic City	2017	Ahmedabad
37	Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles	2018	Mumbai
38	The Pink City	2019	Jaipur
39	Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple	2021	Telangana
40	Dholavira	2021	Gujarat
41	Santiniketan	2023	West Bengal
42	Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura	2023	Karnataka

Key highlights regarding UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:

1.) Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves are famous for its ancient Buddhist cave temples and remarkable craftsmanship with detailed painting and sculpture dating back to 2nd Century BC.

2.) Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves, an Indian UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a fantastic complex of rock-cut caves amazing for their extraordinary combination of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain architecture and art.

3.) Agra Fort

Agra Fort, also a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an ancient Mughal citadel famous for its magnificent structure and cultural significance in India.

4.) Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal, an ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, India, is celebrated for its magnificent Mughal architecture and as a testament to undying affection.

5.) Mahabalipuram Monuments

The scenic Mahabalipuram Monuments of Tamil Nadu are famous for their spectacular rock-cut architecture and historicity.

6.) Sun Temple

The 13th-century Hindu temple in Konark, Odisha dedicated to the Sun god Surya is notable for its extravagant architecture. It gained fame due to the faithfulness in architecture to the Kalinga style. Read more here..

7.) Manas WildLife Sanctuary

Celebrated for its stellar biodiversity and as a crucial tiger and elephant habitat, Manas has become famous for conserving tigers. Also, it is famous for its healthy population of freely roaming water bison.

8.) Kaziranga National Park

Well-known for its amazing one-horned rhinoceroses and abundant wildlife, Assam’s Kaziranga National Park is situated in India. A crucial conservation area, the UNESCO World Heritage Site aims to protect endangered species and their habitat.

9.) Keoladeo National Park

Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, India is famous for its amazing avifauna and wetland habitat. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its critical contribution to the conservation of birds.

10.) Fathepur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri, an Indian city famous for its Mughal architecture, specifically the Jama Masjid and Buland Darwaza.

11.) Monuments of Hampi

Hampi’s monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are an enchanting collection of ancient ruins and temples in Karnataka, India – showcasing the magnificence of the Vijayanagara Empire.

12.) Monuments of Khajuraho

Khajuraho temples are famous for their immensely intricate and erotic carvings that reflected the architectural and artistic excellence of Chandela dynasty.

13.) Churches and Convents of Goa

Also known as the "Rome of the Orient," it’s famous for being where Asia’s first Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque forms of art were born and also for hosting the first Latin Rite Mass in Asia.

14.) Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans National Park, a large mangrove forest both in India and Bangladesh, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it has the Bengal tiger among other wildlife.

15.) Pattadakal Monuments

Pattadakal, an UNESCO World Heritage site located in India, is famous for its cluster of exquisitely carved monuments reflecting a beautiful mixture of South and North Indian architectural styles.

16.) Elephanta Caves

This is a very famous site, known for its Basalt Rock Caves and revered Shiva Temples on the island in the Arabian Sea.

17.) Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park

The Indian Himalayas is a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its incredible alpine meadows, wide array of flora and Nanda Devi peak. Valley of Flowers is very famous site in Uttarakhand. It is renowned Home place of Snow Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, Brown Bear, Blue Sheep and Himalayan Monal but also the World Network of Biosphere.

18.) Buddha Monuments

Buddha monuments, found all over Asia that memorialise Siddhartha Gautama’s life and teachings, range from famous statues to stupas to temples.It is famous for Monolithic Pillars, Palaces, Monasteries, Temples Mauryan Architecture, Ye Dharma Hetu Inscriptions.

19.) Great Living Cholas Temples

The Great Living Chola Temples, a group of 3 ancient Hindu temples in South India, are famous for their stunning Chola dynasty architecture and UNESCO World Heritage designation. The temples are Brihadeeswarar, Airavatesvara and Gangaikonda Cholapuram.

20.) Humayun Tomb

It is known as the antecedent of the Taj Mahal and an embodiment of Mughal architecture. It consists of a tomb, pavilion, complex waterways and bath.

21.) Qutub Minar and its Monuments

The Qutb Minar complex at Delhi showcases an age-old tower and the ensemble of historic monuments. Main elements include Qutub Minar, along with Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Iltutmish Tomb and the famous Iron Pillar.

22.) Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri

India has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla, and Nilgiri Mountain Railways—that each offer an amazing journey through picturesque mountains on narrow-gauge rail lines. They are celebrated for their antique appeal and mechanical wonders.

23.) Mahabodhi Temple

The place where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment as Gautam Buddha. It serves as a representation of the spiritual importance of Buddhism and contains detailed architectural features.

24.) Bhimbetka Rock Shelter

Known for the natural rock shelters, Mesolithic and Chalcolithic rock paintings, Stone Age inscriptions and as the sitting place of legendary Bhima from the Mahabharata, Bhimbetka is famous for its thousands-years-old human history revealed through millennium years old rock paintings.

25.) Champaner Pavagadh Archaeological Park

This park boasts of an ancient city and the sacred Pavagadh Hill that provide an ensemble of achievements from different epochs of monarchical architecture to worship-spots of prehistoric chalcolithic Indian stone-age.

26.) Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Earlier known as Victoria Terminus, in Mumbai, India is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its breathtaking Gothic Revival architecture and historical value as a major railway station.

27.) Red Fort

With its magnificent red sandstone architecture, the Red Fort in Delhi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, blends Shahjahanabad, Persian, Timuri and Indian architectural styles around Moti Masjid.

28.) Jantar Mantar

This Astronomical Instrument Observatory, Maharaja Jai Singh II built the monument. It is the largest Observatory.

29.) Western Ghats

Listed one among the “Top Ten Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots' ' in the world, Western Ghats houses numerous national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, showing its extraordinary ecological diversity.

30.) Hill Forts

This site is renowned for its distinctive Rajput military defence architecture, comprising six grand forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Ambar and Jaisalmer. Every fort has a history and tells the vibrant story of Rajasthan.

31.) Great Himalayan National Park

The area is home to approximately 375 wildlife species and rare flora including the blue sheep, snow leopard, Himalayan bear, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer , spruces. The horses chestnuts and vast alpine meadows. It is a part and parcel of the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspots.

32.) Rani Ki Vav

Rani Ki Vav is a stunning example of Solanki dynasty’s architecture, and its intricate workmanship and design make it stand apart.

33.) Nalanda

Nalanda is well-known for its ancient importance as a seat of learning and Buddhism, being one of the world's first residential universities. An ancient university and a Buddhist temple for almost 1000 years from the third century BC to the 13th century AD.

34.) Khangchendzonga National Park

Himalayan landscapes, the diverse ecosystems and third-highest peak in the world Mount Khangchendzonga. It acts as a refuge for a number of rare and endangered species.

35.) Architectural Le Corbusier

with 17 buildings by legendary modernist architect Le Corbusier. Designated as a World Heritage Site, for its masterful contribution to the Modern Movement.

36.) The Historic City

A walled city on the Sabarmati River, home to Hindu, Islamic, and Jain communities that have lived together for centuries.

37.) Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles

Consisting of 94 culturally significant buildings in Mumbai’s Fort Area, these complexes tell the story of the city’s cultural and architectural evolution from the late 1800s to early 1900s.

38.) The Pink City

India, which is famous for its pink hues and historical significance as an 18th-century city plan. It exhibits a perfect marriage of heritage and city planning.

39.) Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple

Ramappa Temple is in Palampet Village, Telangana and has an incredible age of 800 – 900 years. What sets it apart is its use of distinctive lightweight porous bricks called “floating bricks”.

40.) Dholavira

Dholavira, located in Gujarat, India and recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, is an ancient Harappan city boasting well-preserved archaeological remains such as an advanced water management system and the world’s oldest signboard. It provides important inputs about the Harappan Civilization.

41.) Santiniketan

Santiniketan, the establishment started by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a significant moment for India and a tribute to this unique institution located in Bengal's Birbhum district.

42.) Hoysala Temples

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala have been inscribed by UNESCO, they include Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur temples in Karnataka. This prestigious addition is India’s 42nd World Heritage Site and it comes closely after Santiniketan was inscribed as a heritage site associated with Rabindranath Tagore, re-emphasising India’s cultural and historical significance.