List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2023

The list of UNESCO world heritage sites in India 2023 increases to 41, with Santiniketan added in to the list. India is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, each offering a glimpse into the country’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty. These sites have been recognized by UNESCO for their cultural, historical, or natural significance. Currently there are 41 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. Santiniketan, located Bengal’s Birbhum district earned the designation in 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Saudi Arabia. It was an ancient cultural and educational hub established in 1901 by the poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. Santiniketan was established as a ‘world university’ in 1921, spreading the knowledge of the unity of humanity or “Visva Bharati”. In the 20^th century of British era this institute represented various approaches for pan-Asian modernity in the colonial dominance.

What is meanin UNESCO world heritage site?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been established in 1972. This UN organisation encourages the protection of cultural and natural heritage around the world. These sites with cultural and natural legacy for humanity is considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

What are the criteria for UNESCO World Heritage Sites

(i) A masterpiece of human creation

(ii) Important interchange of human values over long span of time.

(iii) Unique or exceptional testimony of cultural tradition of a civilization.

(iv) Landscape illustrating significant stage in human history;

(v) Shows a traditional human settlement.

(vi) Having outstanding universal significance.

(vii) Exceptional natural beauty/aesthetic importance.

(viii) Representing important stage of earth’s history.

(ix) Representing significant ecological and biological phenomena

(x) Being significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of flora and fauna.

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2023

Assam (i) Kaziranga National Park, (ii) Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Bihar (i)Mahabodhi Temple, (ii)Nalanda
Chandigarh (i) Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capital Complex)
Delhi (i) Humayun’s Tomb, (ii) Qutub Minar and its Monuments, (iii) Red Fort, (iv) Jantar Mantar
Goa (i) Churches and Convents of Goa
Gujrat (i)The Historic City of Ahmedabad, (ii) Dholavira (iii) Rani Ki Vav
(The Queen’s Stepwell) (iv) Champaner Pavagadh Archaeological Park
Himachal Pradesh (i) Mountain Railways of Darjeeling/Kalka/Shimla. (ii) Great Himalayan National Park
Karnataka (i) Monuments of Hampi, (ii) Pattadakal Monuments
Madhya Pradesh (i) Monuments of Khajuraho, (ii) Monuments of Buddha, (iii) Bhimbetka Rock Shelters.
Maharashtra (i) Ajanta Caves, (ii) Ellora Caves, (iii) Western Ghats, (iv) Elephanta Caves, (v) Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (vi) Victorian Gothic
and Art Deco Ensembles
Orissa (i) Sun Temple
Uttar Pradesh (i) Agra Fort, (ii) Taj Mahal, (iii) Fatehpur Sikri
Uttarakhand (i) Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers
Tamil Nadu (i) Mahabalipuram Monuments, (ii) Great Living Chola Temples
Rajasthan (i) Keoladeo National Park, (ii) Hill Forts (iii) The Pink City, Jaipur
Sikkim- (i) Khangchendzonga National Park
Telengana- (i) Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
West Bengal (i) Sundarbans National Park , (ii) Santiniketan

State wise List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2023 and its importance:

S.No	Name	Year inscribed	State/UT	Importance
1.	Ajanta Caves	1983	Maharashtra	Buddhist Rock-cut Cave Monuments and decorated with rich Mural Paintings
2.	Ellora Caves	1983	Maharashtra	Rock cut caves of both Jain and Hindu religion temples and monasteries.
3.	Agra Fort	1983	UP	Prominent monument made during the Mughal in India.
4.	Taj Mahal	1983	UP	One of seven wonders of the World.
5.	Sun Temple	1984	Orissa	Phenomenal testimony of traditional kalinga architecture style
6.	Mahabalipuram Monuments	1984	Tamil Nadu	The Pallava Dynasty architecture of open rock Relief chariot temple with Mahabalipuram statue.
7.	Kaziranga National Park	1985	Assam	Largest population of one horned rhinoceros, with other flora and fauna in greater density.
8.	Keoladeo National Park	1985	Rajasthan	Greatest Man-Made Wetland Bird Sanctuary for inland and migratory birds.
9.	Manas Wildlife Sanctuary	1985	Assam	Famous for Project Tiger, elephants along a great biosphere Reserve
10.	Churches and Convents of Goa	1986	Goa	spreading forms of Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque art in Asia. Contains tomb of St Francis-Xavier
11.	Monuments of Khajuraho	1986	MP	Both Jain and Hindu religion Temples in Nagara style of architecture with erotic figures and sculptures.
12.	Monuments of Hampi	1986	Karnataka	Dravidian style of art and architecture like Virupaksha temple built during Vijaynagar empire
13.	Fatehpur Sikri	1986	UP	The Jama Masjid, The Buland Darwaza, Panch Mahal or Jada Baai ka Mahal, Diwane-Khas, and Diwan-eaam are the attraction at this place.
14.	Elephanta Caves	1987	Maharashtra	Famous for both Buddhist and Hindu (Shiva Temples) caves located on an Island in the Arabian Sea.
15.	Great Living Chola Temples	1987	Tamil Nadu	This temple is popular for South famous Chola art, architecture style, sculpture, painting, etc.
16.	Pattadakal Monuments	1987	Karnataka	Famous for its Chalukya style of architecture that originated in Aihole and blended with the Nagara(north) and Dravidian(south) styles of architecture.
17.	Sundarbans National Park	1987	West Bengal	Largest Estuarine Mangrove forest and Biosphere Reserve, tiger reserve for Great Bengal Tiger, and Salt-Water Crocodile.
18.	Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park	1988	Uttarakhand	Famous for animals like Snow Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, Brown Bear, Blue Sheep, and Himalayan Monal,
19.	Monuments of Buddha, Sanchi,	1989	MP	Monolithic Pillars, Palaces, Monasteries, and Temples Ancient Indian Mauryan Architecture seen here.
20.	Humayun’s Tomb	1993	Delhi	Master piece of Mughal Architecture and precursor to the Taj Mahal.
21.	Qutub Minar and its Monuments	1993	Delhi	Constitutes the Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar.
22.	Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri	1999	HP	Route comprises of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and the Kalka-Shimla railway.
23.	Mahabodhi Temple	2002	Bihar	One of the importanct religious site and holiest pilgrimage spot for the Buddhists. Mahatma Buddha gained Bodhisatva here.
24.	Bhimbetka Rock Shelters	2003	MP	Popular Mural Rock Paintings, Old Stone Age painting.
25.	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus	2004	Maharashtra	Gothic Style Architecture.
26.	Champaner Pavagadh Archaeological Park	2004	Gujarat	The park also houses Some of the ancient Chalcolithic Indian Sites, from the Stone Age era found here.
27.	Red Fort	2007	Delhi	Popular for Shahjahanabad, Persian, Timuri and Indian Architectural Styles, Red Sandstone Architecture and , Moti Masjid.
28.	Jantar Mantar	2010	Delhi	Largest of its kind Observatory. Also, famous for Architectural Astronomical Instruments
29.	Western Ghats	2012	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra	One of the “Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots”. Includes National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserve Forests.
30.	Hill Forts	2013	Rajasthan	Constitutes six majestic forts in Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort, and Jaisalmer Fort made in Rajput Military Defense Architecture.
31.	Rani Ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell)	2014	Gujarat	Fine Ancient Indian architecture of Solanki dynasty.
32.	Great Himalayan National Park	2014	HP	Part of the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspots. 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.
33.	Nalanda	2016	Bihar	A centre of learning and a Buddhist monastery from ancient India to pre modern age
34.	Khangchendzonga National Park	2016	Sikkim	The national park is famous for its numerous fauna and flora.
35.	Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex)	2016	Chandigarh	Having important contribution to the Modern Movements in India.
36.	The Historic City	2017	Ahmedabad	A walled city on the banks of Sabarmati river where different communities like Hindu, Islam, and Jain co-existed for centuries.
37.	Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles	2018	Mumbai	Contains 94 buildings of great cultural importance.
38.	The Pink City	2019	Rajasthan	Many magnificent forts, palaces, temples, and museums located here.
39.	Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple	2021	Telangana	The Ramappa Templearound 800-900 years oldand made up of light weight floating bricks.
40.	Dholavira	2021	Gujarat	An ancient architectural site of Indus Valley civilisation
41.	Santiniketan	2023	West Bengal	One of the ancient the cultural and educational hub propagating the unity of Humanity and providing excellent education in the then whole Asia

which state in India has maximum number of world heritage sites?

At present Maharastra has maximum number of world heritage sites in India.

which is/are the first UNESCO world heritage sites in India ?

Ajanta Caves, Ellora caves, Taj Mahal, and Agra Fort are the first among the 41 UNESCO world heritage sites in India. These sites are inscribed in the list in year 1983.

Click here for more such topics