 Useful Links

UNESCO WORLD
HERITAGE SITES
2020

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One of the important parts of many Bank and Government examinations is the General Knowledge
section. These GK sections include questions related to India's history, geography, polity, and
achievements. One frequently recurring topic among GK in SSC and Banking exams is UNESCO
World Heritage Sites in India. To crack the upcoming SSC CGL, IBPS PO, RBI Grade B, IBPS
Clerk exams, you should know about the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

Importance of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

'Pink City' Jaipur is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites on 6th July 2019. This
decision was made in the UNESCO World Heritage Committee's 43rd session held in the city of
Baku in Azerbaijan. In 2019 the total number of World Heritage Sites had exceeded from 37 to
38,i.e., UNESCO adds one more. In 2018 there were 37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.
Before going through all the 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites let’s have a quick look at the criteria
based on which UNESCO selects the Sites to be included in the World Heritage Sites. There is a to-
tal of ten criteria among which one is required for getting enlisted in the World Heritage Sites.
These are as follows:

1. Human creative genius.

2. Interchange of values.

3. Testimony to cultural tradition.

4. Significance in human history.

5. Traditional human settlement.

6. Heritage associated with events of universal significance.

7. Natural phenomena or beauty.

8. Major stages of Earth's history.

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9. Significant ecological and biological processes.

10. The significant natural habitat for biodiversity.

These UNESCO Heritage sites of India are places of importance of cultural or natural heritage. In-
dia’s first 2 sites inscribed on the list in 1983 were the Agra Fort and the Ajanta Caves. Over the
years, 37 more sites have been inscribed, the latest being ‘Jaipur’ of Rajasthan. Of these 38
UNESCO Heritage sites of India, 30 are cultural sites, 7 are natural sites and 1 is a mixed site.

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

Name
Year Location Significance
of sites

Famous for Buddhist Rock-

cut Cave Monuments. Richly
Ajanta
1983 Maharashtra Decorated Paintings and
Caves
Frescoes like Sigiriya Paint-
ings.

Famous for Buddhist, Jain

and Hindu Temples and
Ellora
1983 Maharashtra Monasteries, Caves exca-
Caves
vated out of Hills, Rock-cut
Architecture.

One of the most important

Agra Fort 1983 Uttar Pradesh monumental structures by
the Mughal empire.

One of the Seven Wonders

of the World. Shahjahan
Taj Mahal 1983 Uttar Pradesh built in the memory of his
third wife Begum Mumtaz
Mahal.

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Sun Tem- Famous for the traditional

1984 Orissa
ple style of Kalinga Architecture.

Mahaba- Famous for Largest Open Air

lipuram Rock Relief, Chariot Tem-
1984 Tamil Nadu
Monu- ples, Mandapas, Pallava
ments Dynasty Architecture.

Famous for Worlds 2/3rd

Great One-Horned Rhinocer-
Kaziranga oses, Highest Density of Ti-
National 1985 Assam gers in World, Elephants,
Park Wild Water Buffalo, Swamp
Deer, and recognized Im-
portant Bird Area.

Famous for Man-Made Wet-

Keoladeo
land Bird Sanctuary, Sibe-
National 1985 Rajasthan
rian Cranes, Hotspot for Or-
Park
nithologists.

Manas Famous for Project Tiger Re-

Wildlife 1985 Assam serve, Elephant Reserve,
Sanctuary and Biosphere Reserve.

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Famous for Rome of the Ori-

Churches
ent, First Manueline, Man-
and
1986 Goa nerist and Baroque Art
Convents
Forms in Asia, First Latin
of Goa
Rite Mass in Asia.

Famous for a group of

Monu- Hindu and Jain Temples situ-
ments Madhya Pra- ated 175 km south-east of
1986
of Khaju- desh Jhansi. Well known for their
raho Nagara style symbolism and
erotic figures and sculptures.

Prosperous kingdom of Vija-

yanagar. The ruins at Hampi
Monu- depict the fine Dravidian
ments 1986 Karnataka style of art and architecture.
of Hampi The most important heritage
monument in this site is the
Virupaksha Temple.

It constitutes of four main

Monuments. The Jama Mas-
Fatehpur jid, The Buland Darwaza,
1986 Uttar Pradesh
Sikri Panch Mahal or Jada Baai ka
Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas, and
Diwan-e-aam.

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Famous for Hindu and Bud-

Elephanta dhist Caves, Caves on Island
1987 Maharashtra
Caves in the Arabian Sea, Basal
Rock Caves, Shiva Temples.

Great Liv-
Famous for Chola Architec-
ing
1987 Tamil Nadu ture, Sculpture, Painting,
Chola
and Bronze Casting.
Temples

Famous for its Chalukya

Pattada- style of architecture that
kal originated in Aihole and
1987 Karnataka
Monu- blended with the Nagara and
ments Dravidian styles of architec-
ture.

Famous as Biosphere Re-

Sundarba
serve, Largest Estuarine
ns
1987 West Bengal Mangrove Forest, Bengal
National
Tiger, and Salt-Water Croco-
Park
dile.

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Nanda
Famous for Asiatic Black
Devi &
Bear, Snow Leopard, Brown
Valley of
1988 Uttarakhand Bear, Blue Sheep, and Hima-
Flowers
layan Monal, World Network
National
of Biosphere Reserves.
Park

Famous for Monolithic Pil-

Monu- Sanchi, lars, Palaces, Temples and
ments of 1989 Madhya Pra- Monasteries, Mauryan Archi-
Buddha desh tecture, Ye Dharma Hetu In-
scriptions.

Famous for Precursor to Taj

Hu-
Mahal, Mughal Architecture,
mayun’s 1993 Delhi
A Tomb, Many Water Chan-
Tomb
nels, A Pavilion, and A Bath.

Qutub Mi- Includes Qutub Minar, Alai

nar and Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qub-
1993 Delhi
its Monu- bat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb
ments of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar.

Darjeeling
Mountain
Railways The mountain railways of In-
(West Bengal),
of Darjee- dia comprise of the Darjee-
Kalka Shimla
ling, 1999 ling Himalayan Railway, the
(Himachal Pra-
Kalka Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and
desh),
Shimla & the Kalka-Shimla.
Nilgiri (Tamil
Nilgiri
Nadu)

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An important religious cen-

ter for the Buddhists as this
was the place where Ma-
Ma-
hatma Buddha attained en-
habodhi 2002 Bihar
lightenment. Bodh Gaya is
Temple
considered as the holiest pil-
grimage spot for the Bud-
dhists.

Famous for Rock Paintings

Bhim-
within Natural Rock Shel-
betka Madhya Pra-
2003 ters, Stone Age Inscriptions,
Rock desh
Sitting Place of Bhima (Ma-
Shelters
habharata).

Chhatrapa Famous for central Railways

ti Headquarters, Terror Attacks
2004 Maharashtra
Shivaji on Mumbai in 2008, Gothic
Terminus Style Architecture.

This place is the only com-

Cham-
plete unchanged Islamic
paner-
pre-Mughal city. The park
Pavagadh
2004 Gujarat also houses some of the an-
Archaeo-
cient Chalcolithic Indian
logical
Sites, from the Stone Age
Park
era.

Famous for Shahjahanabad,

Persian, Timuri and Indian
Red Fort 2007 Delhi Architectural Styles, Red
Sandstone Architecture, Moti
Masjid.

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Famous for Architectural As-

Jantar tronomical Instruments, Ma-
2010 Rajasthan
Mantar haraja Jai Singh II, Largest
of its kind Observatory.

Famous for Among World’s

Karnataka, Ten “Hottest Biodiversity
Western Kerala, Hotspots”. Includes many
2012
Ghats Tamil Nadu, National Parks, Wildlife
Maharashtra Sanctuaries, and Reserve
Forests.

This place is famous for its

unique Rajput Military De-
fense Architecture. It in-
cludes six majestic forts in
Hill Forts 2013 Rajasthan
Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh,
Ranthambore Fort, Gagron
Fort, Amber Fort, and
Jaisalmer Fort.

Rani Ki It is an explicit example of

Vav fine Ancient Indian architec-
(The 2014 Gujarat ture which is constructed
Queen’s during the time of the
Stepwell) Solanki dynasty.

It is home to about 375

fauna species and several
floral species, including
some very rare species of
Great
plants and animals such as
Himala-
Himachal Pra- blue sheep, snow leopard,
yan 2014
desh Himalayan brown bear, Him-
National
alayan Tahr, musk deer
Park
spruces, horse chestnuts,
and huge alpine meadows. It
is a part of the Himalayan
Biodiversity Hotspots.

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A center of learning and a

Buddhist monastery from
Nalanda 2016 Bihar
the 3rd century BCE to the
13th century CE.

Khangche The national park is famous

ndzonga for its fauna and flora, with
2016 Sikkim
National snow leopard being occa-
Park sionally sighted.

Architec-
tural
Recognized as a World Herit-
Work
age Site as part of an out-
of Le Cor- 2016 Chandigarh
standing contribution to the
busier
Modern Movement.
(Capitol
Complex)

A walled city on the banks

of Sabarmati where commu-
The His-
2017 Ahmedabad nities following Hinduism, Is-
toric City
lam, and Jainism have co-
existed for centuries.

Victorian
It is a collection of 94 build-
Gothic
ings of great cultural im-
and Art 2018 Mumbai
portance, located in the Fort
Deco En-
Area of Mumbai.
sembles

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Jaipur
Jaipur is home to many
magnificent forts, palaces,
temples, and museums and
The Pink also filled to the brim with
2019
City local handicrafts and trin-
kets.

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