UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India represent the country’s most extraordinary natural and cultural landmarks — recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for their Outstanding Universal Value.
India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of 2025) — the sixth highest count in the world. From the Taj Mahal to Kaziranga, the Sundarbans to the Mountain Railways, these sites span art, architecture, ecology, and engineering. This page gives you a complete, updated list with type (cultural/natural/mixed), state, year of inscription, and exam-critical facts.
⚡ Quick Facts
- India has 44 UNESCO WHS — 36 Cultural, 7 Natural, 1 Mixed (Khangchendzonga, Sikkim).
- The Taj Mahal (1983) was among India’s first four UNESCO WHS — along with Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves, and Ellora Caves (mnemonic: AEAT).
- Maratha Military Landscapes of India (2025) is India’s newest UNESCO WHS — 12 Maratha forts in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Before it, Moidams – Ahom Dynasty Burial Mounds (Assam) was added in 2024.
- India ranks 6th globally by total WHS — behind Italy (60), China (57), France (53), Germany (54), Spain (50).
- Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) is India’s only UNESCO Mixed Heritage Site.
India has 44 WHS — NOT 42. The Mixed WHS is Khangchendzonga (Sikkim) — not Valley of Flowers (Natural) or Nanda Devi (Natural). The 7 Natural WHS are Kaziranga, Keoladeo, Manas, Sundarbans, Nanda Devi+Valley of Flowers, Western Ghats, and Great Himalayan NP. The description of the Taj Mahal is “Crown of the Palace” (not “Crown of India”). Maharashtra has the most WHS — not Rajasthan or UP. Manas WLS was on the UNESCO Danger List from 1992–2011 but has since recovered — it is NOT currently endangered.
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🏛️ UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India — Complete List
| # ↕ | Site ↕ | State ↕ | Type | Year Inscribed ↕ | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1983 | Rock-cut Buddhist cave monasteries; 2nd century BCE – 6th century CE; Vakataka and Gupta era paintings |
| 2 | Ellora Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1983 | Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves; Kailasha Temple (Cave 16) = largest rock-cut temple in the world |
| 3 | Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1983 | Mughal fort built by Akbar; completed by Shah Jahan; red sandstone; one of India’s first 4 WHS |
| 4 | Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1983 | Built by Shah Jahan (1632–1653) for Mumtaz Mahal; white Makrana marble; “Crown of the Palace”; India’s most visited site |
| 5 | Monuments of Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu | Cultural | 1984 | Shore Temple; Rathas (Pancha Pandava Rathas); Pallava dynasty rock-cut architecture |
| 6 | Sun Temple, Konark | Odisha | Cultural | 1984 | 13th century Kalinga-style temple shaped as Sun God’s chariot; on India’s official tourism logo |
| 7 | Kaziranga National Park | Assam | Natural | 1985 | Two-thirds of world’s Indian One-Horned Rhinos; tigers; among 3 natural sites inscribed in 1985 |
| 8 | Keoladeo (Ghana) National Park | Rajasthan | Natural | 1985 | Important bird sanctuary; Siberian cranes; also a Ramsar Site |
| 9 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam | Natural | 1985 | Golden langur, pygmy hog; on UNESCO Danger List 1992–2011 then removed; recovered |
| 10 | Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa | Cultural | 1986 | Portuguese-era churches; Basilica of Bom Jesus (St. Francis Xavier’s remains); Sé Cathedral |
| 11 | Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh | Cultural | 1986 | Mughal city built by Akbar; abandoned due to water scarcity; red sandstone; Buland Darwaza |
| 12 | Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka | Cultural | 1986 | Capital of Vijayanagara Empire; Virupaksha Temple; Krishna Devaraya era |
| 13 | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 1986 | Chandela dynasty temples (9th–10th century); famous erotic sculptures; Hindu and Jain temples |
| 14 | Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra | Cultural | 1987 | Rock-cut caves dedicated to Shiva; Sadashiva (Trimurti) sculpture; Mumbai Harbour island |
| 15 | Great Living Chola Temples | Tamil Nadu | Cultural | 1987 (ext. 2004) | Brihadeeswarar Temple (Thanjavur), Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Airavatesvara; Chola architecture |
| 16 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka | Cultural | 1987 | Chalukya dynasty; Vesara style (blend of North and South Indian); 8th century CE |
| 17 | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | Natural | 1987 | World’s largest mangrove forest; Royal Bengal Tiger; Ganges-Brahmaputra delta; swimming tigers |
| 18 | Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers NPs | Uttarakhand | Natural | 1988 (ext. 2005) | Snow leopard; alpine flora; Valley of Flowers = famous alpine meadow; Nanda Devi = second highest peak in India |
| 19 | Sanchi Buddhist Monuments | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 1989 | Buddhist stupas commissioned by Emperor Ashoka; 3rd century BCE; Great Stupa of Sanchi |
| 20 | Humayun’s Tomb | Delhi | Cultural | 1993 | First garden-tomb in India; Mughal architecture; built by Haji Begum; precursor to Taj Mahal’s design |
| 21 | Qutb Minar and its Monuments | Delhi | Cultural | 1993 | Tallest brick minaret in the world (72.5 m); built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak; Iron Pillar in complex |
| 22 | Mountain Railways of India | Multi-state (WB, TN, HP) | Cultural | 1999 (ext. 2005, 2008) | Three railways: Darjeeling Himalayan (1999), Nilgiri Mountain (2005), Kalka–Shimla (2008) |
| 23 | Mahabodhi Temple Complex | Bihar | Cultural | 2002 | Site of Buddha’s enlightenment in Bodh Gaya; 6th century CE temple; Bodhi Tree nearby |
| 24 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh | Cultural | 2003 | Palaeolithic rock paintings; oldest evidence of human habitation in India; Vindhya Range |
| 25 | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat | Cultural | 2004 | Pre-Mughal and Mughal-era city; mosques; Jain temples; Pavagadh hill |
| 26 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CST) | Maharashtra | Cultural | 2004 | Former Victoria Terminus; Gothic–Mughal–Indian architectural blend; designed by F.W. Stevens; Mumbai |
| 27 | Red Fort Complex | Delhi | Cultural | 2007 | Built by Shah Jahan (1639–1648); PM addresses nation from Lahori Gate on Independence Day |
| 28 | Jantar Mantar, Jaipur | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2010 | 18th century astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II; largest stone sundial in the world |
| 29 | Western Ghats | 6 States (TN, KL, KA, GA, MH, GJ) | Natural | 2012 | One of world’s 8 biodiversity hotspots; only multi-state WHS in India (6 states); rivers Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri originate here |
| 30 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2013 | 6 forts: Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, Jaisalmer |
| 31 | Rani-ki-Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) | Gujarat | Cultural | 2014 | Solanki dynasty stepwell (11th century); intricate sculptural panels; appears on ₹100 note |
| 32 | Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh | Natural | 2014 | Snow leopard, western tragopan, musk deer; 754 sq. km; Himalayan biodiversity |
| 33 | Nalanda Mahavihara | Bihar | Cultural | 2016 | Archaeological ruins of one of the world’s greatest early universities; Gupta period; flourished 5th–12th century CE |
| 34 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | Mixed | 2016 | India’s ONLY Mixed WHS; third highest peak; snow leopard, red panda; sacred cultural landscape of Sikkimese |
| 35 | Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh (Capitol Complex) | Punjab/Haryana/Chandigarh | Cultural | 2016 | Part of transnational nomination of Le Corbusier’s works; modernist architecture; Secretariat, Assembly, High Court |
| 36 | Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai | Maharashtra | Cultural | 2018 | Fort area (Victorian Gothic) + Marine Drive/Oval Maidan (Art Deco); 19th–20th century heritage |
| 37 | Jaipur City (Walled City) | Rajasthan | Cultural | 2019 | Planned city (1727) by Maharaja Jai Singh II; grid layout; “Pink City”; UNESCO inscribed 2019 |
| 38 | Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple | Telangana | Cultural | 2021 | 13th-century temple at Warangal; floating bricks (lightweight volcanic aggregate); Kakatiyan dynasty |
| 39 | Dholavira (Harappan City) | Gujarat | Cultural | 2021 | Harappan/IVC archaeological site; exceptional water management system; signboard (world’s earliest?) |
| 40 | Hoysala Sacred Ensembles | Karnataka | Cultural | 2023 | Belur (Chennakeshava), Halebid (Hoysaleshwara), Somnathapura (Kesava); intricately carved soapstone; Hoysala dynasty |
| 41 | Shantiniketan | West Bengal | Cultural | 2023 | Founded by Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel 1913); Visva-Bharati University; open-air teaching tradition |
| 42 | Nalanda Mahavihara (Site of Archaeological Remains) | Bihar | Cultural | 2016 | Listed as two separate UNESCO designations; Archaeological Remains of the great Nalanda University |
| 43 | Moidams – Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty | Assam | Cultural | 2024 | 43rd UNESCO WHS; royal burial mounds of the Ahom dynasty at Charaideo; 600 years of Ahom rule in Assam |
| 44 | Maratha Military Landscapes of India | Maharashtra (11 forts) + Tamil Nadu (1 fort) | Cultural | 2025 | 44th UNESCO WHS; 12 Maratha forts including Raigad, Shivneri, Lohagad, Pratapgad, Panhala; inscribed July 2025 |
🌿 India’s 7 Natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Mnemonic: “Kazi Keo Manas Sun Nanda West Great”
| # | Site | State | Inscribed | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaziranga NP | Assam | 1985 | 2/3 of world’s Indian One-Horned Rhinos; tigers; highest rhino density |
| 2 | Keoladeo (Ghana) NP | Rajasthan | 1985 | Bird sanctuary; Siberian cranes; also a Ramsar Wetland Site |
| 3 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam | 1985 | Golden langur, pygmy hog; was on UNESCO Danger List 1992–2011; recovered |
| 4 | Sundarbans NP | West Bengal | 1987 | World’s largest mangrove ecosystem; Royal Bengal Tiger; “swimming tigers” |
| 5 | Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers NPs | Uttarakhand | 1988 / 2005 | Snow leopard; Valley of Flowers = alpine meadow; Nanda Devi = 2nd highest Indian peak |
| 6 | Western Ghats | 6 States (TN, KL, KA, GA, MH, GJ) | 2012 | One of 8 global biodiversity hotspots; 5,000+ plant spp; only multi-state WHS in India |
| 7 | Great Himalayan National Park | Himachal Pradesh | 2014 | Snow leopard, western tragopan, musk deer; 754 sq. km; Himalayan biodiversity |
📊 States with Most UNESCO World Heritage Sites
| State | Approx. Count | Key Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | ~7 | Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, CST, Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Mumbai + most forts in Maratha Military Landscapes (2025) |
| Uttar Pradesh | 4 | Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Mahabodhi (Bihar border) |
| Rajasthan | 4 | Keoladeo NP, Hill Forts (6 forts), Jantar Mantar (Jaipur), Jaipur City |
| Delhi | 3 | Humayun’s Tomb, Qutb Minar, Red Fort Complex |
| Karnataka | 4 | Hampi, Pattadakal, Hoysala Ensembles, (part of Western Ghats) |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3 | Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka |
| Gujarat | 3 | Champaner-Pavagadh, Rani-ki-Vav, Dholavira |
| Tamil Nadu | 3 | Mahabalipuram, Great Chola Temples, (Nilgiri Mountain Railway) |
| Bihar | 2 | Mahabodhi Temple (Bodh Gaya), Nalanda Mahavihara |
| Assam | 3 | Kaziranga NP, Manas WLS, Moidams – Ahom Dynasty (2024) |
⚖️ Compare Two UNESCO WHS
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
- Total: 44 WHS (2025) — 36 Cultural + 7 Natural + 1 Mixed
- World Rank: 6th — behind Italy (60), China (57), Germany (54), France (53), Spain (50)
- First inscribed (1983): Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal — mnemonic: AEAT
- Newest (2025): Maratha Military Landscapes of India (12 forts, MH + TN); before it: Moidams – Ahom Dynasty (Assam, 2024)
- Only Mixed WHS: Khangchendzonga NP, Sikkim (2016)
- Only multi-state WHS: Western Ghats (2012) — spans 6 states (TN, KL, KA, GA, MH, GJ)
Mnemonic: “Kazi Keo Manas Sun Nanda West Great”
- Kaziranga NP (Assam, 1985) — Indian One-Horned Rhino; 2/3 of world population
- Keoladeo (Ghana) NP (Rajasthan, 1985) — bird sanctuary; Siberian cranes; Ramsar Site
- Manas WLS (Assam, 1985) — Golden langur, pygmy hog; Danger list 1992–2011 (recovered)
- Sundarbans NP (West Bengal, 1987) — world’s largest mangrove; swimming tigers
- Nanda Devi + Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand, 1988/2005) — snow leopard; alpine meadow
- Western Ghats (6 states, 2012) — 8 global biodiversity hotspots; Godavari/Krishna/Kaveri origins
- Great Himalayan NP (Himachal Pradesh, 2014) — snow leopard, western tragopan
- Taj Mahal: Built 1632–1653 by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal; white Makrana marble; “Crown of the Palace” (not Crown of India)
- Agra Fort: Built by Akbar; completed by Shah Jahan; red sandstone
- Red Fort: Built by Shah Jahan (1639–1648); PM speaks from Lahori Gate on Independence Day
- Humayun’s Tomb: First garden-tomb in India; precursor to Taj Mahal’s design; built by Haji Begum
- Fatehpur Sikri: Mughal city by Akbar; abandoned due to water scarcity; Buland Darwaza
- Jaipur City (2019): “Pink City”; planned in 1727 by Jai Singh II; grid layout; only Indian WHS that is a living planned city
- Kakatiya Rudreshwara / Ramappa Temple (2021): Warangal, Telangana; Kakatiyan dynasty; floating bricks (lightweight volcanic aggregate)
- Dholavira (2021): Gujarat; Harappan/IVC city; exceptional water management; inscribed as India’s 40th WHS at time
- Hoysala Sacred Ensembles (2023): Karnataka; Belur, Halebid, Somnathapura; intricate soapstone carving
- Moidams – Ahom Mound-Burial System (2024): Charaideo, Assam; royal burial tradition of Ahom dynasty; 43rd WHS; inscribed at 46th session of WHC in New Delhi
- Maratha Military Landscapes (2025): 12 forts — 11 in Maharashtra (Raigad, Shivneri, Lohagad, Panhala, Pratapgad, Rajgad, Salher etc.) + 1 in Tamil Nadu; India’s 44th and newest WHS
- Qutb Minar = tallest brick minaret in the world (72.5 m)
- Rani-ki-Vav = appears on ₹100 note
- Sundarbans = world’s largest mangrove ecosystem
- Ellora’s Kailasha Temple (Cave 16) = largest rock-cut temple in the world
- Konark Sun Temple = on India’s official tourism logo (“Incredible India”)
- Khangchendzonga = India’s ONLY Mixed WHS
- Western Ghats = only multi-state WHS (6 states)
- Manas WLS = was on UNESCO Danger List (1992–2011); since recovered
First 4 WHS (1983): “AEAT” — Ajanta · Ellora · Agra Fort · Taj Mahal
7 Natural WHS: “Kazi Keo Manas Sun Nanda West Great”
K = Kaziranga | K = Keoladeo | M = Manas | S = Sundarbans | N = Nanda Devi | W = Western Ghats | G = Great Himalayan NP
India’s rank: 6th globally — after Italy, China, Germany, France, Spain
Breakdown: 36C + 7N + 1M = 44 (Cultural + Natural + Mixed = Total)
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India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of 2025 — comprising 36 Cultural sites, 7 Natural sites, and 1 Mixed site (Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim). India ranks 6th globally by number of WHS. The most recently inscribed site is the Maratha Military Landscapes of India (12 forts, 2025). Before it, Moidams – Ahom Dynasty Mound-Burial System (Assam) was inscribed in 2024.
Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim is India’s only UNESCO Mixed Heritage Site — inscribed in 2016 for both its outstanding natural values (third highest peak, snow leopard, red panda, alpine ecosystems) and cultural values (sacred landscape of the Sikkimese people). The Western Ghats is a Natural site; Valley of Flowers and Nanda Devi are both Natural sites.
India’s first four UNESCO World Heritage Sites — all inscribed in 1983 — were Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and the Taj Mahal (mnemonic: AEAT). These represented India’s earliest recognition for extraordinary heritage from different periods — Ajanta (Buddhist, 2nd century BCE), Ellora (Hindu-Buddhist-Jain, 5th–11th century CE), and both Agra Fort and Taj Mahal from the Mughal period.
Shantiniketan in Birbhum district, West Bengal, was founded by Rabindranath Tagore (Nobel laureate in Literature, 1913). It represents Tagore’s vision of an educational ashram where learning is conducted in close contact with nature — with open-air classrooms, arts, music, and a philosophical approach to education. The Visva-Bharati University is located here. It was inscribed as a UNESCO WHS in September 2023.
The Rani-ki-Vav (Queen’s Stepwell) in Patan, Gujarat — an inverted temple-shaped stepwell built by Queen Udayamati of the Solanki dynasty in the 11th century — appears on the reverse of the ₹100 note. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 for its exceptional sculptural panels depicting deities, celestial beings, and Vishnu in various forms.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of 2025 — 36 Cultural, 7 Natural, and 1 Mixed (Khangchendzonga). India ranks 6th globally, behind Italy (60), China (57), Germany (54), France (53), and Spain (50). In terms of states, Maharashtra has the highest number — approximately 7 sites (Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, CST, Victorian Gothic/Art Deco Mumbai, and several of the Maratha Military Landscapes forts). Rajasthan, Delhi, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh also have multiple WHS. The Western Ghats is the only WHS spanning 6 states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu).
India’s newest UNESCO WHS is the Maratha Military Landscapes of India (2025) — 12 Maratha forts (11 in Maharashtra including Raigad, Shivneri, Lohagad, Pratapgad, Panhala, and 1 in Tamil Nadu), inscribed in July 2025. Before it, Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty (Assam) was inscribed in July 2024 at the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi — becoming India’s 43rd WHS. The Hoysala Sacred Ensembles (Karnataka) and Shantiniketan (West Bengal), both inscribed in September 2023, were the previous additions. Before those, in 2021, India added Dholavira (Harappan city, Gujarat) and the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple (Telangana).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are classified based on the type of Outstanding Universal Value. Cultural Heritage Sites (34 in India) are recognised for significance to human history, art, architecture, or religious/cultural traditions — including the Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, and Hampi. Natural Heritage Sites (7 in India) are inscribed for exceptional natural beauty, geological significance, or biodiversity — including Kaziranga, Sundarbans, and the Western Ghats. Mixed Heritage Sites have both cultural and natural outstanding universal value — Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) is India’s only mixed site, recognised for both its mountain ecosystem and its sacred cultural significance.
UNESCO WHS are tested in UPSC Prelims (History, Geography, Environment, Current Affairs), SSC CGL, Banking GA, and State PSC exams. Key tested areas: total count (44 as of 2025), breakdown (36 Cultural / 7 Natural / 1 Mixed), India’s first WHS (1983 — AEAT: Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal), the only Mixed WHS (Khangchendzonga, Sikkim), the 7 Natural WHS, the Western Ghats as multi-state natural site, newest inscriptions (Maratha Military Landscapes 2025; Moidams 2024; Hoysala and Shantiniketan 2023), Dholavira for its IVC connection, Rani-ki-Vav on ₹100 note, Mountain Railways trio, and Konark on India tourism logo. Current affairs questions focus on the most recently inscribed sites.
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