World Heritage Day: April 18 is to celebrate and promote the cultural heritage across the world.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), in 1982, suggested that April 18 be celebrated as the International Day for Monuments and Sites and UNESCO approved the proposal the next year during its 22nd General Conference.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has recognised 38 World Heritage Sites in India.
List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
India is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites: it’s ranging from natural wonders to architectural marvels. As you explore India, don’t forget to see these spectacular sites in the country.
| Name of sites | Year | Location | Significance |
| Ajanta Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra | Famous for Buddhist Rock-cut Cave Monuments. Richly Decorated Paintings and Frescoes like Sigiriya Paintings. |
| Ellora Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra | Famous for Buddhist, Jain and Hindu Temples and Monasteries , Caves excavated out of Hills, Rock-cut Architecture. |
| Agra Fort | 1983 | Uttar Pradesh | One of the most important monumental structures by Mughal empire. |
| Taj Mahal | 1983 | Uttar Pradesh | One of the Seven Wonders of the World. Shahjahan built in the memory of his third wife Begum Mumtaz Mahal. |
| Sun Temple | 1984 | Orissa | Famous for the traditional style of Kalinga Architecture. |
| Mahabalipuram Monuments | 1984 | Tamil Nadu | Famous for Largest Open Air Rock Relief, Chariot Temples, Mandapas, Pallava Dynasty Architecture. |
| Kaziranga National Park | 1985 | Assam | Famous for Worlds 2/3rd Great One-Horned Rhinoceroses, Highest Density of Tigers in World, Elephants, Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp Deer and recognized Important Bird Area. |
| Keoladeo National Park | 1985 | Rajasthan | Famous for Man-Made Wetland Bird Sanctuary, Siberian Cranes, Hotspot for Ornithologists. |
| Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | 1985 | Assam | Famous for Project Tiger Reserve, Elephant Reserve and Biosphere Reserve. |
| Churches and Convents of Goa | 1986 | Goa | Famous for Rome of the Orient, First Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque Art Forms in Asia, First Latin Rite Mass in Asia. |
| Monuments of Khajuraho | 1986 | Madhya Pradesh | Famous for a group of Hindu and Jain Temples situated 175 km south-east of Jhansi. Well known for their Nagara style symbolism and erotic figures and sculptures. |
| Monuments of Hampi | 1986 | Karnataka | Prosperous kingdom of Vijayanagar. The ruins at Hampi depict the fine Dravidian style of art and Architecture. The most important heritage monument in this site is the Virupaksha Temple. |
| Fatehpur Sikri | 1986 | Uttar Pradesh | It constitutes of four main Monuments. The Jama Masjid, The Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal or Jada Baai ka Mahal, Diwan-e-khas and Diwan-e-aam. |
| Elephanta Caves | 1987 | Maharashtra | Famous for Hindu and Buddhist Caves, Caves on Island in Arabian Sea, Basal Rock Caves, Shiva Temples. |
| Great Living Chola Temples | 1987 | Tamil Nadu | Famous for Chola Architecture, Sculpture, Painting and Bronze Casting. |
| Pattadakal Monuments | 1987 | Karnataka | Famous for its Chalukya style of architecture that originated in Aihole and blended with the Nagara and Dravidian styles of architecture. |
| Sundarbans National Park | 1987 | West Bengal | Famous as Biosphere Reserve, Largest Estuarine Mangrove Forest, Bengal Tiger and Salt-Water Crocodile. |
| Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park | 1988 | Uttarakhand | Famous for Asiatic Black Bear, Snow Leopard, Brown Bear, Blue Sheep and Himalayan Monal, World Network of Biosphere Reserves. |
| Monuments of Buddha | 1989 | Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh | Famous for Monolithic Pillars, Palaces, Temples and Monasteries, Mauryan Architecture, Ye Dharma Hetu Inscriptions. |
| Humayun’s Tomb | 1993 | Delhi | Famous for Precursor to Taj Mahal, Mughal Architecture, A Tomb, Many Water Channels, A Pavilion and A Bath. |
| Qutub Minar and its Monuments | 1993 | Delhi | Includes Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar. |
| Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri | 1999 | Darjeeling(West Bengal), Kalka Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu) | The mountain railways of India comprise of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla. |
| Mahabodhi Temple | 2002 | Bihar | An important religious centre for the Buddhists as this was the place where Mahatma Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is considered as the holiest pilgrimage spot for the Buddhists. |
| Bhimbetka Rock Shelters | 2003 | Madhya Pradesh | Famous for Rock Paintings within Natural Rock Shelters, Stone Age Inscriptions, Sitting Place of Bhima (Mahabharata). |
| Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | 2004 | Maharashtra | Famous forCentral Railways Headquarter, Terror Attacks on Mumbai in 2008, Gothic Style Architecture. |
| Champaner- Pavagadh Archaeological Park | 2004 | Gujarat | This place is the only complete unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city. The park also houses some of the ancient Chalcolithic Indian Sites, from the Stone Age era. |
| Red Fort | 2007 | Delhi | Famous for Shahjahanabad, Persian, Timuri and Indian Architectural Styles, Red Sandstone Architecture, Moti Masjid. |
| Jantar Mantar | 2010 | Rajasthan | Famous for Architectural Astronomical Instruments, Maharaja Jai Singh II, Largest of its kind Observatory. |
| Western Ghats | 2012 | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra | Famous for Among World’s Ten “Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots”. Includes many National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserve Forests. |
| Hill Forts | 2013 | Rajasthan | This place is famous for its unique Rajput Military Defense Architecture. It includes six majestic forts in Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort. |
| Rani Ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) | 2014 | Gujarat | It is an explicit example of fine Ancient Indian architecture which is constructed during the time of the Solanki dynasty. |
| Great Himalayan National Park | 2014 | Himachal Pradesh | It is home to about 375 fauna species and several floral species, including some very rare species of plants and animals such as blue sheep, snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer spruces, horse chestnuts and huge alpine meadows. It is a part of the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspots. |
| Nalanda | 2016 | Bihar | A centre of learning and a Buddhist monastery from 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE. |
| Khangchendzonga National Park | 2016 | Sikkim | The national park is famous for its fauna and flora, with snow leopard being occasionally sighted. |
| Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex) | 2016 | Chandigarh | Recognized as a World Heritage Site as part of an outstanding contribution to Modern Movement. |
| The Historic City | 2017 | Ahmedabad | A walled city on the banks of Sabarmati where communities following Hinduism, Islam and Jainism have co-existed for centuries. |
| Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles | 2018 | Mumbai | It is a collection of 94 buildings of great cultural importance, located in the Fort Area of Mumbai. |
| The Pink City | 2019 | Jaipur | Jaipur is home to many magnificent forts, palaces, temples and museums and also filled to the brim with local handicrafts and trinkets. |
So, are you ready to explore the natural and cultural heritage, already? Let us know in the comments below.