List of all 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
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India is home to 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making it the sixth country with the most sites in the world.
The first four sites to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983 were the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and Taj Mahal. The most recent site to be listed is the Hoysala Temples of Karnataka, which was added on 18 September 2023.
Maharashtra is the state with the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, with a total of six sites. One of these sites, the Western Ghats, is shared between six states.
What is UNESCO World Heritage Site?
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). UNESCO designates World Heritage Sites for their cultural, historical, or scientific significance.
Nomination Process:
To become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a country must first identify its significant cultural and natural sites and include them in a Tentative List. Then the country can select sites from that list to nominate for inscription on the World Heritage List. The nomination file is evaluated by two international bodies, which make recommendations to the World Heritage Committee.
The Committee meets once a year to decide which nominated properties to add to the World Heritage List. The committee includes a site on the World Heritage List, if it meets at least one of the ten selection criteria.
Out of the 42 World Heritage Sites in India, 34 sites are cultural, 7 are natural, and one is of mixed type. These sites represent India’s rich and diverse cultural and natural heritage.
34 Cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:
Sno. | Site Name | Inscription Year | State |
1 | Agra Fort | 1983 | Uttar Pradesh |
2 | Ajanta Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra |
3 | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara | 2016 | Bihar |
4 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | 1989 | Madhya Pradesh |
5 | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | 2004 | Gujrat |
6 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | 2004 | Maharashtra |
7 | Churches and Convents of Goa | 1986 | Goa |
8 | Dholavira: A Harappan City | 2021 | Gujrat |
9 | Elephant Caves | 1987 | Maharashtra |
10 | Ellora Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra |
11 | Fatehpur Sikri | 1986 | Uttar Pradesh |
12 | Great Living Chola Temples | 1987,2004 | Tamilnadu |
13 | Group of Monuments at Hampi | 1986 | Karnataka |
14 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | 1984 | Tamilnadu |
15 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | 1987 | Karnataka |
16 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan | 2013 | Rajasthan |
17 | Historic City of Ahmadabad | 2017 | Gujrat |
18 | Humayun’s Tomb | 1993 | Delhi |
19 | Jaipur City | 2019 | Rajasthan |
20 | Kakatiya Rudreshwara(Ramappa) Temple | 2021 | Telangana |
21 | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | 1986 | Madhya Pradesh |
22 | Mahabodhi Temple Complex | 2002 | Bihar |
23 | Mountain Raiways of India | 1995,2005,2008 | – |
24 | Qutb Minar and its Monuments | 1993 | Delhi |
25 | Rani-ki-Vav | 2014 | Gujrat |
26 | Red Fort Complex | 2007 | Delhi |
27 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | 2003 | Madhya Pradesh |
28 | Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas | 2023 | Karnataka |
29 | Santiniketan | 2023 | West Bengal |
30 | Sun Temple | 1984 | Odisha |
31 | Taj Mahal | 1983 | Uttar Pradesh |
32 | The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier | 2016 | Chandigarh |
33 | The Jantar Mantar | 2010 | Rajasthan |
34 | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai | 2018 | Maharashtra |
7 Natural UNESCO World Heritages in India:
Sno. | Site Name | Inscription Year | State |
35 | Great Himalyan National Park Conservative Area | 2014 | Himachal Pradesh |
36 | Kaziranga National Park | 1985 | Assam |
37 | Keoladeo National Park | 1985 | Rajasthan |
38 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | 1985 | Assam |
39 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | 1988,2005 | Uttarakhand |
40 | Sundarbans National Park | 1987 | West Bengal |
41 | Western Ghats | 2012 | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu |
1 Mixed(Natural and Cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in India:
SNo. | Site Name | Inscription Year | State |
42 | Khangchendzonga National Park | 2016 | Sikkim |