India

World Heritage Sites

1. Agra Fort, and important 16th century Mughal monument that used to contain the imperial city of the Mughal rulers.
2. Ajanta Caves, dating back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC and considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.
3. Buddhist Monuments of Sanchi, a group of Buddhist monuments in the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence.
4. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, which is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city in existence.
5. Chhatrapati Shivaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), a great example of the blending of traditional Indian themes with Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
6. Churches and Convents of Goa, which bear witness to the evangelization of Asia.
7. Elephanta Caves, containing a collection of rock art linked to the cult of the god Shiva.
8. Ellora Caves, which consist of 34 monasteries and temples devoted to Hinduism, Buddhism and Janism that were dug side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff.
9. Fatehpur Sikri, the capital of the Mughal Empire during the second half of the 16th century.
10. Great Living Chola Temples, which are three great 11th and 12th century temples built by the kings of the Chola Empire.
11. Group of Monuments Hampi, which is all that is left of the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar.
12. Group of Monuments Mahabalipuram, consisting of several sanctuaries that were carved out of rock in the 7th and 8th centuries.
13. Hill Forts of Rajasthan, containing 6 majestic hill forts that were the fortified seats of power of Rajput princely states.
14. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi, is the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent built in 1570.
15. Khajuraho Group of Monuments, these 20 temples represent the remains of the Chandella dynasty.
16. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya is one of the four holy sites related to the life of Lord Buddha.
17. Mountain Railways of India, which is a collection of three railways that were opened between 1881 and the mid-19th century and remain operational today.
18. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi, a 72.5m high, red sandstone tower as well as a surrounding archaeological area.
19. Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen's Stepwell) at Patan, Guajarat, which is a 30m deep well designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water.
20. Red Fort Complex, which reflects a fusion of Persian, Timurid, and Hindu traditions into one cohesive architectural style.
21. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, which contain cave paintings that date from the Mesolithic Period.
22. Sun Temple, Konârak, which was built in the 13th century and is one of India's most famous Brahman sanctuaries.
23. Taj Mahal, probably the most famous mausoleum in the world and one of the jewels of Muslim art in India.
24. The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, which is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century.
25. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, an area characterized by high alpine peaks, alpine meadows and riverine forests that is of huge significance for biodiversity conservation.
26. Kaziranga National Park, one of the last true wilderness areas in eastern India where you can still find one-horned rhinoceroses, elephants, panthers and tigers.
27. Keoladeo National Park, a major wintering area for at least 364 species of birds.
28. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, home to tigers, pygmy hogs, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant.
29. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, an area famous for its flowers, natural beauty and rich diversity.
30. Sundarabans National Park, a 10 000km2 area in the Ganges delta that also contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests.
31. Western Ghats, which is a chain of mountains that is older than the Himalaya mountains and one of the world's eight 'hottest hotspots' of biological diversity.
32. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, a series of nine Hindu temples dating back to the 7th and 8th century that represent the blending of north and south Indian architectural forms into one harmonious form.