This article lists the sites registered with World Heritage in India.
Understand
THE'India ratified the convention for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage on November 14, 1977. The first protected sites were inscribed in 1983.
THE'India is among the countries with the most sites classified in World Heritage, a total of 37 sites are listed, including 29 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed.
The country has also submitted 46 sites to the tentative list, 37 cultural, 8 natural and 1 mixed.
Listing
The following sites are listed as World Heritage.
| Site | Type | Criterion | Description | Drawing | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 Bhimbetka rock shelters | Cultural | (iii), (v) | The Bhimbetka rock shelters are located at the foot of the Vindhyan Mountains, south of the central Indian plateau. Five groups of natural rock shelters are located within enormous sandstone outcrops, above a relatively dense forest, and contain paintings which appear to begin in the Mesolithic and continue uninterrupted until historic times. . In the twenty-one villages that surround the site, live populations whose contemporary cultural traditions are reminiscent of those depicted in cave paintings. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
Mountain railways in India
| Cultural | (ii), (iv) | This site has three rail links. The first, and so far the most outstanding example of a mountain passenger railway, is the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Inaugurated in 1881, its construction required ingenious and daring solutions to solve the problems of establishing a railway line through mountainous terrain of great beauty. The construction of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a single track line one meter wide and 46 km long in the state of Tamil Nadu, was first proposed in 1854; but faced with the difficulties presented by this mountainous site, work did not start until 1891 and was completed in 1908. This railway, which starts from an altitude of 326 m to reach 2 203 m, represented the cutting edge technology of its time. Finally, the Kalka to Shimla Railway, a single track line of 96 km, was built in the middle of the 19th century to serve the city of Shimla. It illustrates the technical and material feats achieved to open up the mountain populations thanks to the railroad. These three railways are still fully operational. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Churches and convents of Goa | Cultural | (ii) (iv) (vi) | Former capital of the Portuguese Indies, Goa has preserved a set of churches and convents which illustrate the activity of missionaries in Asia, in particular the Church of Bom Jesus where the tomb of Saint Francis Xavier is located. These monuments exerted an influence in all the mission countries of Asia, diffusing at the same time the models of Manueline art, Mannerism and Baroque. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Set of monuments of Mahabalipuram | Cultural | (i), (ii), (iii), (vi) | This set of sanctuaries, due to the Pallava rulers, was dug in the rock and built in the 7th and 8th centuries on the Coromandel coast. It includes in particular rathas (temples in the shape of chariots), mandapas (rock sanctuaries), gigantic open-air reliefs, such as the famous “Descent of the Ganges”, and the temple of the Shore, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Set of monuments of Pattadakal | Cultural | (iii), (iv) | Pattadakal, in the state of Karnâtaka, illustrates the apogee of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, under the aegis of the Châlukya dynasty, was able to achieve a happy synthesis of the architectural forms of the north and the south of India. There is an imposing series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain shrine. In this group stands out a pure masterpiece, the temple of Virûpâksha, built around 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate the victory of her husband over the sovereigns of the South. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Delhi Red Fort Complex | Cultural | (ii), (iii), (vi) | Fortified palace of Shahjahanabad - the new capital of Shah Jahan (1628-1658), 5th Mughal Emperor of India - the Red Fort owes its name to its imposing red sandstone walls. It is next to another fort, Fort Salimgarh, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. Together, they form the whole of the Red Fort. The private apartments consist of a row of pavilions connected by a canal called the Nahr-i-Bihisht, or River of Paradise. The Red Fort is considered to represent the pinnacle of Mughal creativity which, under Emperor Shah Jahan, reached a new level of sophistication. The layout of the palace is Islamic in inspiration, but each pavilion unveils architectural elements typical of Mughal buildings, reflecting a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions. The innovative design and architectural style of the Red Fort, including the layout of its gardens, strongly influenced subsequent constructions and gardens in Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and surrounding areas. | .jpg/150px-India-0037_-_Flickr_-_archer10_(Dennis).jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 Mahabodhi temple complex in Bodhgaya | Cultural | (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (vi) | The whole Mahabodhi temple constitutes one of the four holy places associated with the life of the Buddha and in particular with his Awakening. The first temple was erected by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century BC. J.C., while the current temple dates from the 5th or 6th century. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in India still standing, and one of the few late Gupta period temples built entirely of brick. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 Hampi Monumental Complex | Cultural | (i), (iii), (iv) | Hampi is the austere and grandiose site of the last capital of the last great Hindu kingdom of Vijayanagar, whose extremely wealthy princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which were admired by travelers between the 14th and 16th centuries. Conquered by the Islamic Confederation of the Deccan in 1565, the city was plundered for six months, then abandoned. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 Khajuraho Monumental Complex | Cultural | (i), (iii) | Work of the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050, the temples of Khajuraho, of which only twenty remain, are divided into three distinct groups. They belong to two different religions, Hinduism and Jainism, and achieve an exemplary synthesis between architecture and sculpture. Thus the temple of Kandariya is decorated with a profusion of sculptures which are among the greatest masterpieces of Indian plastic. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 Mumbai Victorian Gothic Revival and Art Deco Ensemble | Cultural | (ii), (iv) | Become a center of world trade, the city of Mumbai underwent an ambitious urban planning project during the second half of the 19th century. It resulted in the construction of sets of public buildings built in the Victorian neo-Gothic style, then, at the beginning of the 20th century, by a group of Art Deco buildings around the green space of the Oval Maidan. The Victorian ensemble incorporates Indian features designed to suit the local climate, such as balconies and verandas. Art Deco buildings, with their movie theaters and apartment buildings, blend Indian design and Art Deco imagery, creating a unique style later called Indo-Deco. These two sets bear witness to the phases of modernization that Mumbai went through during the 19th and 20th centuries. | .jpg/150px-Lascar_An_example_of_the_Victorian_architecture_found_in_Mumbai_(4558366397).jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 Fatehpur-Sikri | Cultural | (i), (iii), (iv) | The “city of victory”, built in the second half of the 16th century by Emperor Akbar, was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only ten years. It is a homogeneous architectural ensemble with many monuments and temples, including one of the largest mosques in India, Jama Masjid. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 Agra Fort | Cultural | (iii) | In the immediate vicinity of the gardens of the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort of Agra, a significant monument of the 17th century Mughal, is a powerful citadel of red sandstone enclosing in its enclosure of 2,5 km on the perimeter of the imperial city, with a large number of fairy palaces, such as the palace of Jahangir or the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan, audience rooms, such as the Diwan-i-Khas, and two very beautiful mosques. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
Hill forts of Rajasthan
| Cultural | (ii), (iii) | This serial property, located in the state of Rajasthan, comprises six majestic forts in Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh; Sawai Madhopur; Jhalawar; Jaipur and Jaisalmer. The eclectic architecture of the fortifications, some of which are up to twenty kilometers in circumference, testify to the power of the princely Rajput states which flourished between the 8th and 19th centuries. Within the surrounding walls, there are urban establishments, palaces, trading centers and other buildings such as temples, some of which predate the fortifications within which a court culture developed which favored the arts. and music. Some of the urban settlements within the fortifications have survived, as have many temples and sacred buildings. The fortifications, which follow the natural defensive properties of the landscape - hills, river, forests, and desert - are equipped with water collection structures, many of which are still in use today. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 Chhatrapati Shivaji Station (formerly Victoria Station) | Cultural | (ii), (iv) | Chhatrapati Shivaji Station, formerly known as Victoria Station, in Mumbai, is a remarkable example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India, mixed with elements of traditional Indian architecture. The building, designed by British architect F.W. Stevens, would become the symbol of Bombay, the "Gothic city" and the most important trading port in India. The terminal, whose construction, begun in 1878, lasted ten years, obeys a design of the Victorian Gothic inspired by the models of the end of the Middle Ages in Italy. Some remarkable elements like the stone dome, the turrets, the pointed arches and the eccentric plan recall the architecture of traditional Indian palaces. It is an exceptional example of the meeting of two cultures, the British architects having used Indian craftsmen to integrate the Indian architectural tradition to create a new style, unique to Bombay. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 Ajanta Caves | Cultural | (i), (ii), (iii) (vi) | To a group of Buddhist rock monuments from the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. In the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries), even larger and richer decorated caves were added. Ajanta's paintings and sculptures are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art which have exerted considerable influence. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 Elephanta Caves | Cultural | (i), (iii) | On an island in the Arabian Sea off Bombay, the "city of caves" constitutes a rock complex typical of the cult of Shiva where the art of India has found one of its most perfect expressions, notably in the gigantic high reliefs of the main cave. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 Ellora Caves | Cultural | (i), (iii), (vi) | Thirty-four monasteries and temples were carved in close succession into the wall of a high basalt cliff not far from Aurangabad, helping to revive a brilliant ancient civilization in an unbroken sequence of monuments dating back to 600 to 1000. The Ellora's ensemble is a unique artistic achievement and a technical tour de force. With its shrines dedicated respectively to Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism, it illustrates the spirit of tolerance characteristic of ancient India. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 Jantar Mantar, Jaipur | Cultural | (iii), (iv) | Jaipur's Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It includes a set of about twenty fixed instruments. Built in masonry, they are monumental examples of well-known instruments but often with particular characteristics. Intended for observations of astronomy with the naked eye, they include several architectural and instrumental innovations. It is the most significant, the most complete and the best preserved collection of ancient Indian observatories. It expresses the astronomical skills and cosmological conceptions acquired in the entourage of a learned prince at the end of the Mughal era. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 Taj Mahal | Cultural | (i) | Huge white marble funeral mausoleum built between 1631 and 1648 in Agra by order of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to perpetuate the memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal, the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India, is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the heritage of mankind. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
The great living temples Chola
| Cultural | (ii), (iii) | The great living temples of Chola were built by the kings of the Chola Empire which spanned all of South India and neighboring islands. The site includes three major temples of Chola from the 11th and 12th centuries: the Brihadisvara temple of Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara temple of Darasuram. The temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, erected by Rajendra I, was completed in 1035. Its vimana (tower sanctuary) of 53 m is characterized by recessed angles elegantly curved upwards, unlike the strict and straight tower of the temple of Tanjore. The Airavatesvara temple, erected by Rajaraja II in Darasuram, features a vimana of 24 m and a stone image of Shiva. These temples bear witness to the brilliant achievements of the Chola era in bronze architecture, painting, sculpture and statuary. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
Le Corbusier's architectural work, an exceptional contribution to the Modern Movement
| Cultural | (ii), (vi) | Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites that make up this transnational serial property, spread over seven countries, bear witness to the invention of a new architectural language breaking with the past. They were carried out over half a century, throughout what Le Corbusier called “patient research”. The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Fine Arts of the West in Tokyo (Japan), the Maison du Docteur Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) or the Housing Unit in Marseille (France) ) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to provide, during the 20th century, to the challenges of renewing architectural techniques, in order to meet the needs of society. These masterpieces of human genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice on a global scale. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 Buddhist monuments of Sânchî | Cultural | (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (vi) | On a hill overlooking the plain, about forty kilometers from Bhopal, the site of Sânchî brings together Buddhist monuments (monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries), unevenly preserved, dating back mainly to the 1st and 2nd century BC. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and it remained an essential center of Buddhism in India until the 12th century. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Cultural | (iii), (iv), (v), (vi) | This set combines archaeological sites, largely still buried, and a living cultural heritage part of a spectacular landscape that includes prehistoric sites (Chalcolithic), the fortress perched on a height of an ancient Hindu capital, and the remains of the city that was in the XVIe century the state capital of Gujarat. The ensemble also includes other remains, including fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential villas, agricultural structures and hydraulic installations, built between VIIIe and the XIVe century. The temple of Kalikamata at the top of Pavagadh hill, considered an important shrine, attracts many pilgrims throughout the year. It is the only complete pre-Mughal Islamic city in existence. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 Qutb Minar and its monuments, Delhi | Cultural | (iv) | Built at the beginning of the 13th century a few kilometers south of Delhi, the minaret of Qutb Minar is a tower of red sandstone high in 72,5 m, with a diameter of 14,32 m at the base and 2,75 m at the top, with grooves and corbelled stalactites. The surrounding archaeological area includes tombs, the magnificent portal of Alai-Darwaza, a masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art built in 1311, and two mosques, including that of Quwwat-ul-Islam, the oldest in North India, made of materials from about twenty Brahmanic temples. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 34 Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen's Stepwell) in Patan, Gujarat | Cultural | (i), (iv) | Located on the banks of the Saraswati in Patan, the Rani-ki-Vav was originally built as a memorial to a king of the XIe century. Step wells are an architectural typology specific to the Indian subcontinent. Appeared from the IIIe millennium BC They have evolved over time, from what was simply an accessible pit in sandy soil to multi-storey and highly elaborate artistic and architectural works. Rani-ki-Vav was built at the height of the mastery of craftsmen both in the construction of step wells and in the Maru-Gurjara style, hence its complex technique and great beauty in details as well as in proportions. . Designed as an inverted temple emphasizing the sanctity of water, it features seven levels of stairs and sculpted panels of high artistic quality. More than 500 main sculptures and a thousand other minor ones make up a religious, mythological and secular imagery, with frequent references to literary works. The fourth level is the deepest and it leads to a cistern of 9.5 on 9,4 m To 23 m depth. The well is located at the western end of the site; deep of 30 m, it is a circular cavity of 10 m of diameter. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 35 Nalanda Mahavihara archaeological site (Nalanda University) in Nalanda, Bihar | Cultural | (i), (iv) | The Nalanda Mahavihara site is located in the state of Bihar, in northeast India. These are the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution in activity from the IIIe century BC AD to XIIIe century of our era. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important works of art in stucco, stone and metal. Nalanda stands out as the oldest university in the Indian subcontinent, an institution which has transmitted knowledge in an organized fashion over an uninterrupted period of 800 years. The historical development of the site testifies to the evolution of Buddhism into a religion, and to the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 Sun temple in Konarak | Cultural | (i), (iii), (vi) | On the edge of the Bay of Bengal, in the extension of the rays of the rising sun, the temple of Konarak is a monumental representation of the chariot of the sun god Surya, with twenty-four wheels abundantly carved with symbolic motifs, and its team of six horses . Built in the 13the century, it is one of the most famous Brahminical shrines in India. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 37 Humayun's Tomb, Delhi | Cultural | (ii), (iii), (iv) | This burial, built in 1570, has exceptional cultural significance as it is the first example of a garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired important architectural innovations which saw their peak with the construction of the Taj Mahal. | .jpg/150px-India-0147_-_Flickr_-_archer10_(Dennis).jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 38 Historic city of Ahmedabad | Cultural | (ii), (v) | The walled city of Ahmedabad was founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in the 15th century on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati River. It has a rich architectural heritage from the time of the sultanate, including the citadel of Badhra, the walls and gates of the fortified city and numerous mosques and burials as well as important Hindu and Jain temples from later eras. The urban fabric is formed by traditional houses (pols) densely grouped along traditional streets closed (puras) by doors which are characterized in particular by bird feeders or public wells. The city has continued to prosper as the capital of the state of Gujarat for six centuries to the present day. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 39 Western Ghats | Natural | (ix), (x) | Older than the Himalayan mountains, the Western Ghats mountain range exhibits geomorphic features of immense importance with a unique biophysical and ecological process. High mountain forest ecosystems influence the weather conditions of the Indian monsoon. Playing a role in moderating the region's tropical climate, the site presents one of the best examples of monsoon systems on the planet. The site also has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism. It is recognized as one of the eight biodiversity hotspots in the world. The forests consist of the best examples of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests in the world. They are home to at least 325 globally threatened species of flora, fauna, birds, amphibians and reptiles. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 Great Himalayan National Park | Natural | (vii), (x) | This national park is located in the western sector of the Himalayas, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is characterized by high alpine peaks, alpine meadows and riparian forests. The 90 540 Ha of the property encompass the springs of high icy mountains and melting snow, several rivers and the watersheds of waters that vitally supply millions of people living downstream. The site protects the monsoon-affected forests and alpine meadows of the Himalayan Front Ranges. The property, which also protects part of the Himalayan "biodiversity hotspot", includes 25 forest types and an associated rich assemblage of fauna species, many of which are threatened. This gives it exceptional importance for the conservation of biodiversity. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 41 Kaziranga National Park | Natural | (ix), (x) | In the heart of Assam, Kaziranga Park, one of the last areas in northern India that has not been modified by man, is home to the largest population of one-horned rhinos in the world, as well as many other mammals - tigers, elephants, panthers, bears - and thousands of birds. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 42 Keoladeo National Park | Natural | (x) | Former princely duck hunting reserve, Keoladeo National Park remains a major wintering site for myriads of water birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. There are 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 43 Sundarbans National Park | Natural | (ix), (x) | The Sundarbans cover 10,000 km2 of land and water (of which more than half in India, the rest in Bangladesh) in the Ganges delta. It is the largest region of mangrove forests in the world. Several rare or endangered species live in the park, including tigers, aquatic mammals, birds and reptiles. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 44 Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park | Natural | (vii), (x) | Nestled high up in the Western Himalayas, Valley of Flowers National Park in India is famous for its endemic alpine flower meadows and outstanding natural beauty. This extremely diverse region is also home to rare and endangered animals such as the Asian black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and bharal. The hilly landscape of Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged, rugged mountains of Nanda Devi National Park. Together, they form a unique transition zone between the iconic Zanskar and Great Himalayan mountain ranges, loved by mountaineers and botanists for over a century, and present in Hindu mythology for much longer. | _Valley_of_flowers,_Garhwal_Uttarakhand_India.jpg/150px-(A)_Valley_of_flowers,_Garhwal_Uttarakhand_India.jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 45 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Natural | (vii), (ix), (x) | In an area of the Himalayan foothills where wooded hills, alluvial meadows and tropical forests alternate, the Manas sanctuary is home to an extremely rich fauna which includes many endangered species, such as the tiger, the dwarf boar, as well as the Indian rhino and elephant. |  | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 46 Khangchendzonga National Park | Mixed | (iii), (vi), (vii), (x) | Located in the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India (Sikkim state), Khangchendzonga National Park includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular mountains covered in ancient and crowned forests. of snow, among which is the third highest peak in the world, Mount Khangchendzonga. Mythological stories are associated with this mountain and with a large number of natural elements (caves, rivers, lakes ...) which are the object of veneration by the indigenous peoples of Sikkim. The sacred meanings of these stories and practices have been incorporated into Buddhist beliefs and form the basis of Sikkiman identity. | .jpg/150px-A_scene_from_Kanchendzonga_National_Park,_Sikkim_(3).jpg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Criteria legend
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