📚 MROY Class

UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in India — Complete Guide

Everything you need to know for competitive exams — GK, MCQs, Important Points & Current Affairs

44Total Sites (2026)

35Cultural Sites

7Natural Sites

1Mixed Site

6thGlobal Rank

About UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — Key facts at a glance

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Full Name

United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization

📅

Established

November 16, 1945

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Headquarters

Paris, France

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Members

194 Countries + 11 Associate Members

🇮🇳

India Joined

1946

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Director General

Khaled El-Enany (Egypt)

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World Heritage Treaty

Adopted 1972, In Force 1975. India signed: 1977

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World Heritage Day

18 April (every year)

⭐ Important Points about UNESCO

World Heritage Day is celebrated on 18 April. In 1982, ICOMOS declared it; in 1983, UNESCO General Assembly approved it.
World Heritage Week is celebrated in India on 19–25 November.
Theme 2026: “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in contexts of Conflicts and Disaster”
India’s first World Heritage City: Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
State with maximum World Heritage Sites in India: Maharashtra (6 sites)
Country with the most World Heritage Sites: Italy (60 sites)
India’s rank globally: 6th (43 sites as of July 2024, now 44 with Maratha Military Landscapes 2025)

India’s 44 World Heritage Sites — Overview

First 4 sites inscribed in 1983: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves & Ellora Caves

Maharashtra 6 Sites

Ajanta Caves

Cultural1983

Ellora Caves

Cultural1983

Elephanta Caves

Cultural1987

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Cultural2004

Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensemble

Cultural2018

Maratha Military Landscapes of India (Shared with TN)

Cultural2025

Rajasthan 4 Sites

Keoladeo National Park

Natural1985

Hill Forts of Rajasthan (6 forts)

Cultural2013

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Cultural2010

Jaipur City

Cultural2019

Uttar Pradesh 3 Sites

Agra Fort

Cultural1983

Taj Mahal

Cultural1983

Fatehpur Sikri

Cultural1986

Gujarat 4 Sites

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

Cultural2004

Rani Ki Vav (Stepwell)

Cultural2014

Ahmedabad City

Cultural2017

Dholavira

Cultural2021

Delhi (UT) 3 Sites

Qutub Minar

Cultural1993

Humayun’s Tomb

Cultural1993

Red Fort Complex

Cultural2007

Madhya Pradesh 3 Sites

Khajuraho Group of Monuments

Cultural1986

Buddhist Stupas at Sanchi

Cultural1989

Bhimbetka Rock Shelters

Cultural2003

Assam 3 Sites

Kaziranga National Park

Natural1985

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

Natural1985

Moidam (Charaideo)

Cultural2024

Karnataka 3 Sites

Hampi Group of Monuments

Cultural1986

Pattadakal Group of Monuments

Cultural1987

Sacred Group of Temples of Hoysalas

Cultural2023

Other States

Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

Natural1987

Santiniketan / Shantiniketan (West Bengal)

Cultural2023

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (West Bengal)

Cultural1999

Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers NP (Uttarakhand)

Natural1988/2005

Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh)

Natural2014

Kanchenjunga National Park (Sikkim)

Mixed2016

Nalanda Mahavihara (Bihar)

Cultural2016

Mahabodhi Temple Complex (Bihar)

Cultural2002

Great Living Chola Temples (Tamil Nadu)

Cultural1987

Monuments of Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu)

Cultural1984

Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Tamil Nadu)

Cultural2005

Konark Sun Temple (Odisha)

Cultural1984

Churches & Convents of Goa

Cultural1986

Rudreshwar / Ramappa Temple (Telangana)

Cultural2021

Architecture of Le Corbusier (Chandigarh)

Cultural2016

Kalka-Shimla Railway (Himachal Pradesh)

Cultural2008

Western Ghats (Multiple States)

Natural2012

India’s 3 Mountain Railways — UNESCO Sites

All three mountain railways of India that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites

#	Heritage Railway	State	Year Inscribed
1	Darjeeling Himalayan Railway	West Bengal	1999
2	Nilgiri Mountain Railway	Tamil Nadu	2005
3	Kalka-Shimla Railway	Himachal Pradesh	2008

6 Forts of Rajasthan in UNESCO List (2013)

All inscribed together in 2013 as “Hill Forts of Rajasthan”

Ranthambore FortSawai Madhopur

Amer FortJaipur

Sonargarh Fort (Jaisalmer Fort)Jaisalmer

Chittaurgarh FortChittorgarh

Gagron FortJhalawar

Kumbhalgarh FortRajsamand

Important Points for Exams

Quick revision facts — must remember for competitive exams

🏛️ Famous Monuments — Key Facts

Taj Mahal: White marble mausoleum in Agra, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for wife Mumtaz Mahal. Construction: 1632–1653.
Agra Fort: Also known as “Red Fort of Agra”, built by Akbar in mid-16th century on banks of river Yamuna.
Qutub Minar: Construction started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1193. Has 5 floors. Delhi UT.
Humayun’s Tomb: In Delhi. Built by Humayun’s wife Maharani Bega Begum (Haji Begum). Construction: 1565–1572.
Red Fort: Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Has Indo-Islamic and Mughal architectural styles. PM gives Independence Day speech here.
Jantar Mantar: Astronomical observatory. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. Completed in 1734.
Fatehpur Sikri: Built by Akbar in 16th century. Capital of Mughal Empire from 1571–1585. Also known as Fatehabad (City of Victory).
Sanchi Stupa: Associated with Buddhism. Built by Maurya emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BC. Motif appears on new Rs 200 note.
Khajuraho: In Chhatarpur district, MP. Associated with Hindu and Jain religions. Built by Chandela dynasty between 900–1130 AD.
Hampi: Capital of Vijayanagara Empire in 14th century. Built by Harihara and Bukkaraya on banks of Tungabhadra River. Chariot motif on Rs 50 note.

🦏 Natural Sites — Key Facts

Kaziranga National Park: Home to two-thirds of the world’s great one-horned rhinoceros. Assam.
Sundarbans: Known for world’s largest mangrove forests. Famous for Royal Bengal Tiger. West Bengal.
Elephanta Caves: Located on Elephanta Island, 10 km east of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Also known as Gharapuri. On shore of Arabian Sea. Built by Rashtrakuta rulers between 5th and 6th centuries AD. Name given by the Portuguese because of stone elephant built here.
Ellora Caves: Built by Rashtrakutas. Have 34 monasteries and temples divided into three groups — Hindu, Buddhism, and Jain.
Ajanta Caves: Discovered in 1819. Carved in Sahyadri mountain range. Figures related to Buddhism. Paintings don’t use Blue colour. Based on life of Buddha and Jataka stories.
Kanchenjunga National Park: Only Mixed (natural & cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in India. Sikkim.
Konark Sun Temple: Built in 1250 AD by King Narasimhadeva I. Also known as the “Black Pagoda”. Odisha.
Mahabalipuram: Built by Pallava kings in 7th and 8th centuries on rock-cut monuments along Coromandel Coast (Bay of Bengal). Tamil Nadu.

Current Affairs — UNESCO 2023–2026

Latest news and additions to the UNESCO World Heritage list relevant to India

44th World Heritage Site NEW

Maratha Military Landscapes of India (2025) — consisting of 11 forts in Maharashtra (Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Panhala, Shivneri, Lohgad, Salher, Sindhudurg, Suvarnadurg, Vijaydurg, Khanderi) and 1 in Tamil Nadu (Gingee Fort). Inscribed July 2025.

43rd World Heritage Site 2024

Moidam, Assam (2024) — A mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty. Included in the Cultural category of the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.

42nd & 41st Sites (2023)

42nd: Sacred Group of Temples of the Hoysalas (Karnataka) — 2023
41st: Shantiniketan (West Bengal) — 2023

UNESCO Recognized: Gujarat’s Garba

Gujarat’s Garba dance has been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Memory of World Register

Shrimad Bhagwat Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra have been included by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Register.

New Geoparks & Wetland Cities

UNESCO recognized 16 new Global Geoparks on 17 April 2025 (total: 229). The Ramsar Convention has recognized Indore and Udaipur as Wetland Cities.

West Bengal — Top Heritage Tourist Destination

UNESCO has declared West Bengal as the top heritage tourist destination.

Kozhikode — City of Literature

Kozhikode has become India’s first ‘City of Literature’ in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

African Sites Removed from Danger List (2025)

In July 2025, UNESCO removed three African sites — Atsinanana Rainforest (Madagascar), Abu Mena (Egypt), and Ghadames old city (Libya) from the list of sites in danger.

Practice MCQs — With Answers

Based on Ravi Aditi Classes content — Q.1 to Q.62 key questions

Q.1 When is ‘World Heritage Day’ celebrated every year?

A 18 April

B 16 June

C 23 November

D 15 August

Q.2 How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are there in India (till April 2026)?

A 39

B 44

C 51

D 75

Q.3 Which state in India has the maximum UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

A Maharashtra

B Odisha

C Karnataka

D Tamil Nadu

Q.4 The sites are given the ‘World Heritage Site status’ by whom?

A UNICEF

B UNO

C UNESCO

D UNDP

Q.7 The UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Konark Sun Temple (1984)’ is located in which state?

A Manipur

B Odisha

C Meghalaya

D Mizoram

Q.18 The UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Sundarbans National Park (1987)’ is located in which state?

A West Bengal

B Sikkim

C Chhattisgarh

D Telangana

Q.49 Kanchenjunga National Park (2016) is India’s only mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site — located in which state?

A Sikkim

B Maharashtra

C Manipur

D Meghalaya

Q.58 India’s first World Heritage City status was given to which of the following cities by UNESCO?

A Hyderabad

B Hampi

C Jaipur

D Ahmedabad

Q.61 Where is the World Heritage Site and Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu located?

A China

B Japan

C Vietnam

D Peru

Q.62 Which of the following festivals is usually organized by the Karnataka government in January, to celebrate the grandeur of temples at a UNESCO heritage site?

A Kambala Festival

B Karaga Festival

C Hoysala Festival

D Pattadakal Dance Festival