Top Most Famous Historical Monuments of India

India is a rich country in culture, traditions, heritage buildings, temples, forts, and palaces. The credit for taking its historical and cultural importance to the heights goes to the historical, traditional, and grand heritage of the country. Famous Indian Monuments include the Old Churches of Goa, The Taj Mahal, Qutab Minar of Delhi, Charminar, Red fort, and Jantar Mantar, and also a few most visited Heritage Sites in India. So get ready to give yourself visual treats and feed your mind with stories about the Most Popular Historical Monuments of India.

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India Historical Places That You Should Visit

There are many historical places to visit in India. Many historical places in India are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites in India due to their cultural importance.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Hawa Mahal popularly known as “Palace of the Winds” is a renowned historical monument in Jaipur which is famous for its unique architecture and amazing design. The palace incorporates 953 windows in a honeycomb design that keeps the palace airy and cool even in the scorching summers. As per folklore, the palace was built to provide an exclusive place for the royal women where they could observe the routine of people outside of the palace without being noticed.

Location: Hawa Mahal Rd, Badi Choupad, J.D.A. Market, Pink City, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Entry Fee: Indian – Rs 50, Foreigners – Rs 200
Timings: 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, All days of the week

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal is a beautiful ivory-white marble mausoleum located on the banks of the mighty river Yamuna. This timeless beauty is an epitome of love which is commissioned in the year 1632, by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It attracts over 8 million visitors annually from all across the globe. The insides of the Taj Mahal are adorned by beautifully carved cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan which are enclosed in an eight-sided chamber ornamented with semi-precious stones and marble lattice screens. It is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

Location: Dharmapuri, Forest Colony, Tajganj, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Entry Fee: Indians – Rs 480, Foreigners – Rs 1600
Timings: 6:00 am – 7:00 pm, All days of the week, except Friday

Qutub Minar, Delhi

Well known for its soaring height of 73 m, The tower of victory or the Qutab Minar is a fine piece of architecture in the history of India. Centuries-old minar is said to be built by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, to celebrate the dominance of Muslims after conquering Delhi’s last Hindu emperor. As per popular folklore, if you encircle the Qutab tower with your hands while standing with your back toward it, all your wishes will get accomplished.

Location: Seth Sarai, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Entry Fee: Indians – Rs 35, Foreigners – Rs 550
Timings: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm, All days of the week

Red Fort, Delhi

Red Fort is one of the pioneer historic forts in the city of Delhi. Built-in the mid of 17th century this fort is among the major tourist places in Delhi. The fort has witnessed a long period of cultural, political, and architectural majesty of the Mughal Empire. It has to endorse tears, sweat, and blood during the struggle for Independence. Popularly known for portraying a significant role in political turbulence, it has been an imperative part of many protests and campaigns for ages.

Location: Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
Entry Fee: Indians – Rs 35, Foreigners – Rs 500
Light and Sound Show: Adults – Rs 60, Children – Rs 20
Weekend Entry Fee: Adults – Rs 80, Children – Rs 30
Timings: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, All days of the week

Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

Established near the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, the magnificent structures of Ajanta caves is one of the finest examples of ancient rock-cut caves depicting the grandness and splendor of the bygone era. The complex of the beautiful cave is embellished with elegant sculptures, panoramic paintings, and numerous Buddhist monasteries, along with the religious Hindu and Jain temples. The beautiful rock-cut carvings exhibit fine examples of supreme architecture which is also one of the most popular historical monument of Maharashtra.

Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
Entry Fee: Indians, BIMSTEC, and SAARC citizens – Rs 40, Foreigners – Rs 600
Timings: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, All days of the week

Mysore Palace, Mysore

The Mysore Palace is a popular historical palace and a renowned royal residence belonging to the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. The palace is centered at the heart of the city and faces the prime landmark of Mysore, the Chamundi Hills. This Indo-Saracenic style architectural fort is one of the most famous tourist attractions after the Taj Mahal, which manages to gather around 6 million visitors annually.

Location: Sayyaji Rao Rd, Agrahara, Chamrajpura, Mysuru, Karnataka
Entry Fee: Adults – Rs 70, Children(7-12 years) – Rs 30
Timings: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm, All days of the week

Gateway Of India, Mumbai

Gateway of India is a prominent tourist attraction and popular historical monument of Maharashtra. It is believed to be constructed in the early 20th century to honor the welcome of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bander on their visit to India. The magnificent Indo-Saracenic style of architecture symbolizes the grand and opulent history of Indian art. The beautiful structure stands to serve the entry and access to India. It is one of the most unique landmarks situated in the city of Mumbai, embellished with fine architecture.

Location: Apollo Bandar, Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Entry Fee: No Entry Fees
Timings: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, All days of the week

Charminar, Hyderabad

The beautiful Charminar is a renowned monument and mosque in Hyderabad, which was built in 1591 AD, to celebrate the end of a life-threatening illness plague. Located on the east bank of the Musi river, the enchanting structure stands for the cultural and historical significance of the bygone era. This marvelous piece of architecture is one of the most recognized structures of India and is the best places to visit in Hyderabad.

Location: Charminar Road, Char Kaman, Ghansi Bazaar, Hyderabad, Telangana
Entry Fee: Indians, BIMSTEC and SAARC nationals – Rs 20, Foreigners – Rs 250
Timings: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm, All days of the week

Cellular Jail, Andaman And Nicobar Islands

The Cellular Jail located in Andaman And Nicobar Islands is also popular by the name Kālā Pānī. It is one of the most famous historical monuments of India. It is said to be built by the Britishers in the year 1906 for the purpose of exiling political prisoners to the remote archipelago. Upon visiting this prominent landmark of Port Blair one can get this amazing patriotic feeling as this notable prison is known to imprison many great Indian freedom fighters and political activists during their struggle for the independence of the Nation.

Location: Lecture Hall 2, GB Pant Exit Gate, Atlanta Point, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Entry Fee: Rs 20
Timings: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm, All days of the week, except Mondays and National Holidays
Light and Sound Show: 6:00 pm (Hindi), 7:15 pm (English)

Basilica Of Bom Jesus, Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus is among one of the most famous churches in Goa. This iconic monument is a popular pilgrimage center that is famed for housing the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier. The exemplary baroque architecture of the church draws tourists and devotees from all across the world. The modern art gallery of the Basilica is adorned with beautiful wall paintings depicting various Biblical scenes.

Location: Old Goa Road, Bainguinim, Goa
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
Timings: 09:00 am – 8:30 pm, All days of the week

Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Mahabalipuram is a major connecting link between the Bay of Bengal and the Great Salt Lake. It is renowned for its intricately carved temples and pristine monuments built by the Pallava dynasty during their reign in the 7th and 8th centuries. This oldest city of India attracts tourists from all over the world due to its beautiful beaches, monoliths, stone carvings, temples, cave sanctuaries, and sculptures. The iconic beauty of this place in the abode of nature is the main reason that compels visitors to visit this impressive place at least once.

Location: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Entry Fee: Indians – Rs 10, Foreigners – Rs 340
Timings: 06:00 am – 6:00 pm, All days of the week

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha

The majestic Sun temple located at Konark is one of the prominent tourist attractions of Odisha. The beautiful picturization of a chariot being pulled by a set of seven horses is the key attraction that allures travelers from far and wide. This artistic masterpiece is one of the last standing structures of the pre-historic era that reflects the rich and glorious past of our country.

Location: Konark, Odisha
Entry Fee: Indians, BIMSTEC and SAARC citizens – Rs 40, Foreigners – Rs 600
Timings: 6:00 am – 8:00 pm, All days of the week

Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh

Sanchi Stupa is a beautiful Buddhist complex, located in the Raisen District of the State of Madhya Pradesh. This historic place is popular for numerous stupas which were built on a beautiful hilltop. It is a group of oldest stone structures in India that exhibits the history of Buddhism along with the Mauryan, Satvanas, and Shagunas empires. The splendid intricate stone carving of Sanchi Stupa is known to depict the life cycle of Lord Buddha.

Location: Sanchi Town, Madhya Pradesh
Entry Fee: Indians, SAARC and BIMSTE – Rs 40, Foreigners – Rs 600
Timings: 6:00 am – 6:30 pm, All days of the week

India Gate, Delhi

India Gate is one of the paramount monuments of the city, which symbolizes a war memorial, situated in the Rajpath area. It was built to pay tribute to all those British Indian Army soldiers who sacrifice their precious lives during the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919. This magnificent structure is the best places to visit in Delhi. It is also among one of the largest war memorials in the country with the names of over 13,000 Indian Army soldiers imprinted on it.

Location: Rajpath, India Gate, New Delhi
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
Timings: 12:30 am – 11:59 pm, All days of the week

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is quite renowned for its famous Shore Temple. This Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram is one of the oldest structural stone temples that showcase one of the finest examples of medieval southern Indian temple architecture. This rock-cut and the free-standing structural temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.