Ranker

Anime Underground

Button Mash

Graveyard Shift

Total Nerd

Unspeakable Times

Weird History

Weird Nature

Weirdly Interesting

Sports

Music

Entertainment

Living

Culture

Food

Makeup

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Holidays

Watchworthy

HBO Max

Lists and galleries of some of the most famous, interesting, and beautiful buildings around the world and throughout history.

Dream Destinations

Pictures of the most beautiful buildings in the world can hardly do justice to some of the most breathtaking structures on Earth, but the list of the greatest buildings in the world attempts to rank these gorgeous buildings based on the eye-catching beauty. This list of famous buildings includes famous monuments, cathedrals, and other amazing feats of architecture renowned around the world for their form, function, and beauty.What are the most beautiful buildings on Earth? From the temples of Ankgor Wat to the grandeur of the Burg Khalifa in Dubai and the beauty of the Taj Mahal, there are dozens- if not hundreds- of amazing buildings to visit in the world and the list of the top buildings to see in the world has most of them.

Travel

Winchester Mystery House, A Victorian Maze Built To Hide Its Owner From Spirits

Everyone has a little bit of an explorer in them –&nbsp;visiting spooky, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/cool-abandoned-movie-sets/anncasano">abandoned</a>, or&nbsp;unfinished buildings can&nbsp;be a tempting way to get that adventure fix. This list of famous buildings still under construction –&nbsp;some after hundreds of years of being built –&nbsp;includes structures you can take a tour of, ones you can wander through at your leisure, and a few that are for the more hard-core adventurers.From majestic&nbsp;churches and temples to&nbsp;homes built to keep out spirits to&nbsp;national monuments and&nbsp;and breathtaking skyscrapers, all of these&nbsp;unfinished buildings&nbsp;have their own unique stories to tell, with quirky histories and tragic stories behind why they were never finished. Some are still under construction; some have been given up entirely.&nbsp;Some of them had the potential to be among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-beautiful-buildings-around-the-world">most beautiful buildings in the </a><a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-beautiful-buildings-around-the-world">world</a>&nbsp;had they ever been completed.&nbsp;

Salt Lake Temple

The Mormon religion, when compared to many of the other religions in the world, is relatively new. With only a few hundred years of history, the number of Mormon <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-beautiful-catholic-churches/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">churches in the world</a> is much fewer than other religious institutions. Unlike with Catholic churches, most of the Mormon temples have only been standing for a few decades and therefore don’t have as much significant history behind each building. Although many Mormon temples are housed within the United States, where the religion originally began, there are still many international temples with their own unique personalities.The Mormon temples on this list are among the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/most-beautiful-women?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most beautiful in the world</a>. Many Mormon temples are built with a similar style and design, with a white exterior and multiple spires. That’s what makes the few that are different all the more special. Some of these temples feature unique materials, from lava rocks crushed into concrete to Italian marble.What are the most beautiful Mormon temples? Which temple is your favorite? This list includes some of the best Mormon temples in the whole world.

Historical Photos

Wood, stone, brick, and even steel are generally no match for military might, horrible weather, too much fire or water, shoddy workmanship, shifting soil, or just plain old time. Even the most famous historical buildings, designed by the smartest&nbsp;minds of the time, using the most sturdy materials and latest construction materials, cannot stand forever. But like <a href="/list/historical-photos-of-things-being-built/jordan-love" target="_blank">noted monuments</a>, when famous structures topple due to natural disasters, military conflicts, weak foundations, or other reasons, people and governments usually want to build them back up.

Many of the oldest and most famous historical structures around the world, including churches, government buildings, and royal castles, have taken a severe beating over the years, but they&#39;ve risen from the ashes or ruins to come back just as strong - or even better - than before.

Places/Travel

When we look at old ruins, we may be tempted to think that time steadily wears down structures in an implacable, vague way. Let enough years go by and any building will crumble to its foundations or at least show severe wear and tear.

It&#39;s not necessarily true, though; some buildings and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-monument-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">monuments</a> have aged extremely well (check out the pristine 1800-year-old Pantheon in Rome, for example). Others, like the Colosseum&nbsp;or the Sphinx, look considerably more worse for wear - but it&#39;s not just the ravages of time that partially destroyed them. People actually damaged them at specific moments in history. Sometimes we know exactly when and how it happened.

Read on if you ever wondered why the Sphinx is missing a nose, or whether the Parthenon got all messed up in WWII. Answers (and a few new questions) await!

America

The Brooklyn Bridge is not only one of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/top-must-see-attractions-in-new-york/ranker-travel" target="_blank">top attractions of New York City</a>, but it is also one of the oldest suspension bridges in the world. It connects Manhattan to Brooklyn and crosses the East River. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964. But building the bridge was a huge undertaking and fraught with tragedy. It took 14 years to complete&nbsp;and nearly 30 people died from various incidents during its construction.After the bridge&nbsp;was completed in 1883, it supported horse-drawn carriages and rail traffic. A separate elevated walkway in the center was designated for pedestrians and bicycles. The bridge has carried <a href="http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Brooklyn_Bridge" target="_blank">six lanes of automobile traffic</a> since 1950.&nbsp;After receiving a &quot;poor&quot; rating during a routine inspection, the bridge was renovated between 2010 and 2015 at a cost of $558 million. On an average weekday, an estimated 145,000 vehicles cross the bridge.The Brooklyn Bridge has been an invaluable method of transportation, particularly during the 1965, 1977, and 2003 New York City blackouts. In 2001, it famously transported thousands of pedestrians following the <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2011/09/911-the-day-of-the-attacks/100143/" target="_blank">9/11 terrorist attacks</a> on the World Trade Center, when bus and subway services were suspended. To learn more about the disturbing and difficult task of building the Brooklyn Bridge, read on below.&nbsp;

Architecture

Sydney Opera House Under Construction, C. 1965

Rome wasn&#39;t built in a day, and neither were some of the most famous structures on Earth. From the Burj Khalifa&nbsp;to the Golden Gate Bridge, the most recognizable structures in the world all went through the rigorous construction processes of their time to emerge as iconic structures visited by thousands of people on a yearly basis.&nbsp;

The list of photos of historical structures being built includes images of the construction of some of the <a href="/list/best-tourist-attractions-in-america/ranker-travel">top tourist attractions in America</a> as well as the <a href="/list/best-places-to-visit-in-europe/island-hopper-dan">must-see monuments in Europe</a>. There are pictures of the Eiffel Tower when it was nothing more than four posts in the ground and pieces of the Statue of Liberty as they were delivered from France for assembly in New York. Some of the <a href="/list/architecture_s-modern-marvels/nychick">greatest achievements in modern architecture</a> can be seen in their conception and execution stages on this list of pictures of famous buildings being built.

What did Mount Rushmore look like before it bore the images of four presidents? What important buildings were photographed under construction? What is the most impressive structure of the modern era? Some of these construction photos of world landmarks will give some insight into just how epic the building process of some structures (like the Sydney Opera House, which was under construction for nearly 14 years) really are. Make sure to vote up&nbsp;your favorite photos of old buildings being built.

The Taj Mahal was designated a <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/252">UNESCO World Heritage Site</a> in 1983, recognized as a jewel of Muslim art and for being one of the most admired masterpieces of human culture and ingenuity. With more than eight million people visiting annually, the Taj Mahal -&nbsp;though relatively new compared to some of the world&rsquo;s most famous monuments such as the <a href="https://mymodernmet.com/the-parthenon-greece/" target="_blank">Parthenon</a>, the Pyramids, and the Coliseum -&nbsp;has rightfully earned a prestigious place in history for its unique architecture and art. Read on to understand just why&nbsp;this gorgeous mausoleum has been declared one of the &ldquo;<a href="https://world.new7wonders.com/wonders/taj-mahal-1630-a-d-agra-india/">New 7 Wonders of the World</a>.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Burj Khalifa

This <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-modern-family-directors/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of modern</a> architectural marvels is a survey of all feats of modern architecture in the world (including buildings, bridges, structures, and monuments) in search of the greatest modern architecture. The modern structures list contains pictures of the best modern architecture so you can vote on what you think the top architectural feats really are. Only the most exceptional examples of modern architecture buildings have been included on this list.Included in the list of the best modern architecture are houses, structures, buildings, monuments, plazas, and all the best modern architecture contemporary engineers and architects have to offer. From the famous Burj Khalifa (the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tallest-buildings-in-the-world/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">tallest building in the world</a>) to the Sapporo Dome (which touts a moving field) to the Lloyd's Building in London, there is no shortage of amazing architecture among these modern architectural feats.What are the top examples of modern architecture? Where are the greatest modern architects? What are the most breathtaking buildings in the world? This is your chance to vote on the best modern architectural marvels in the world. If you don't see your favorite architectural feat on the modern structures list, make sure to add them to this list of these cool buildings. The best architectural work of Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, and a host of other brilliant modern architects are on the list, but new modern buildings are erected every day, so make sure to keep adding brilliant modern structures pictures to this modern architecture list.What are architectural marvels around the world? Take a look here and see for yourself.

Historical Figures

Historical figures&nbsp;occupy physical space just like the rest of us, and sometimes that physical space is downright unremarkable.&nbsp;Before he was a world-famous writer, Ernest Hemingway was just a kid in a house in Oak Park, IL -&nbsp;a house that recently went on sale for a relatively modest half-million. Paul McCartney&#39;s boyhood home was asking considerably less than that - as was a brownstone where Al Capone used to live.

Historical figures&#39; homes come up for sale all the time; sometimes they&#39;re swiftly snapped up, and sometimes they linger on the market. The price ranges are enormous - from barely over $100,000 to well into the millions. Some <a href="/list/oldest-houses-in-the-world-still-standing/pierce-nahigyan?ref=profile_own" target="_blank">historical homes</a>&nbsp;are&nbsp;grand estates, while some are drab dwellings you wouldn&#39;t give a second glance.

Read on to see some <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/satellite-images-of-historic-homes/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">legendary personalities&#39; onetime residences </a>that have recently been on the market. Dying to move into the bedroom of someone who once made history? It can be&nbsp;easier - and cheaper - than you might think.

If you&#39;re in the mood for something more morbid, check out these <a href="/list/infamous-true-houses/nathan-gibson" target="_blank">true crime houses that have been on the market</a>.

Most people these days are trapped in track housing hell. Middle class families are moving into housing developments where every home looks exactly the same. But it doesn't have to be this way! Architects are capable of some crazy feats, as these weird building shapes can attest. These cool, creative, and weird buildings are proof that humans have the capacity to create some pretty insane works of building art. These buildings are so unusual, they’re basically porn for weird architecture lovers everywhere. You can find funny shaped buildings across the world. From a dog-shaped, dog-friendly park house in Idaho to a home in Bulgaria shaped like a very colorful snail, these weird building shapes will make you feel pretty disappointed with your current living space. So whether you’re looking for a fairy tale place to get married or just want to daydream about living somewhere awesome, check out the upside down, inside out, see-through, colorful, and crazy buildings on this list!

Canterbury Cathedral

List of the most beautiful Catholic churches in the world,as ranked by admirers of amazing architecture. Regardless of your religious beliefs and affiliation, anyone can appreciate Catholic&nbsp;churches for their accomplishments in architecture. Every continent in the world is overflowing with some of the most elegant, visually stunning churches in existence. Some of these churches have been standing, in some form or another, for thousands of years, while others are modern additions to the Catholic world. While many of these churches are built with a traditional gothic style, some of the most unique churches on this list are original feats in architecture.Whether or not you’re a member of the Catholic faith, the Catholic Churches of the world are definitely worth visiting. Sometimes the location of the cathedral or parish makes it all the more amazing, like Arizona’s Church in the Rock and Colombia’s Las Lajas Cathedral which is built over a cliff. St.Basil’s Cathedral is one of the oldest and most recognizable churches, famousfor its colorful domes. Modern structures like Cathedral of Maringa and Cadet Chapel are known for their memorable appearances.What are the most beautiful Catholic&nbsp;cathedrals in the world? From churches in the U.S. to Ethiopia, the structures on this list are the most striking Catholic institutions in the world.

Time moves relentless forward, and progress cannot be stopped. But sometimes, that progress comes at the expense of some&nbsp;beautiful architecture, the kind unlikely ever to be seen again. These gorgeous old buildings served as libraries, churches, office building, and museums, and many were demolished to make room for parking lots and freeways.

Luckily, the folks over at the Reddit forum <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Lost_Architecture/" target="_blank">r/LostArchitecture</a> have taken the time to share photos of buildings that may have been lost to time but should not be forgotten.

Landmarks

Thousands of American landmarks can be found from coast to coast. As the United States has changed, so has its landscape. Its historical monuments, however, have really stood the test of time.

From New York to California, monuments and memorials built more than a century ago look almost identical to how they did to the first individuals lucky enough to get a glimpse. Many natural landmarks show little sign of change, perhaps offering some insight into the relatively to time itself.

Take trip to a landmark and you may just travel back in time.&nbsp;Pictures can offer a similar journey, showing what popular American landmarks looked like in days long ago and how <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-crime-scenes-today/natalie-hazen?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">what they look like today</a>.&nbsp;

Cities frequently feature&nbsp;breathtaking architecture, and these destinations offer some of the best examples for curious visitors. Some great U.S. cities for architecture host&nbsp;historic buildings, while other good American cities for architecture have beautiful modern designs.What locales will you find on this list of the top US&nbsp;cities for architecture? As one of the oldest cities in the country, Philadelphia is home to such famous buildings as Library Hall and the Pennsylvania Hospital.&nbsp;Chicago is another one of the best cities when it comes to architecture. New Orleans has a vibe all its own, thanks in part to the ornate buildings in&nbsp;the French Quarter. Other good areas featured on this list include New York City, Washington, DC, and Miami.Do you have a favorite city for architecture? Give the best options a thumbs up and please add any notable cities that are missing.

History

In 1931, photographer Lewis Hine risked his life to document the Empire State Building under construction, carrying a <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=j4Jdu_u50J4C&amp;pg=PA86&amp;dq=Lewis+Hine+Empire+State&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjswI-toODRAhUFj1QKHWLlCnsQ6AEIPjAG#v=onepage&amp;q=Lewis%20Hine%20Empire%20State&amp;f=false" target="_blank">full-size camera</a> and tripod across the girders so the world could see the skeleton of what would become one of the most famous and beloved examples of Art Deco architecture in the world. Hines wasn&#39;t just capturing the history of New York City or a <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-construction-of-the-most-famous-structures-on-earth/michael-gibson">famous building</a> under construction;&nbsp;he was also capturing just how dangerous it was for those&nbsp;constructing the New York City landmark 1,000 feet above the street.&nbsp;

Hine&#39;s photographs have since become some of the most famous historical photos of New York City. The gallery below features some of his best, which, like all <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/colorized-photos-that-show-what-life-was-really-like-in-the-great-depression/rylee_en">extraordinary historical photos</a>, transport you into the past, giving you an exhilarating look at what life was really like in a time so different from our modern day.&nbsp;

People of the world have always been curious about their neighboring countries, and what <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-historic-landmark-facts/alby-thompson" target="_blank">spectacular monuments</a> they may see when they travel there.&nbsp;For that reason, as long as photography has been a thing, people have been taking snapshots of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unique-photos-of-historical-landmarks/samantha-dillinger" target="_blank">world-famous landmarks</a>.

There&#39;s nothing quite like staring back into history to see how these landmarks have changed - or not changed at all - in the last century or so. Then and now location photos can give the viewer a real sense of time passing, and what sights we truly consider worthwhile.

Enjoy this selection of then and now <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/rare-historical-photos/larry-taylor?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">pictures of history</a>, and vote up the ones that make you marvel at the years gone by.

This is a ranked list of the tallest buildings in the the US. These buildings include some of the newest and most beautiful beautiful building as well as some iconic long-standing skyscrapers. This list answers the question, “<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tallest-buildings-in-europe/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">What is the tallest building</a> in the United States?” These tallest buildings in the America can be found everywhere from New York, to Texas, to Illinois. Skyscrapers have long been one of mankind’s most prolific achievements. Since the dawning of the industrial era in America people have sought to build the biggest and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tallest-buildings-in-the-world/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">tallest buildings in the world</a>. As technology progressed America and other nations now all look to make their mark on architecture, countries around the world are building buildings, each one taller than the next. However some of the first and tallest remain in the United States.These skyscrapers are often built by wealthy individuals or hugely successful multinational conglomerates. These tallest skyscrapers can be found all around the U.S. in commercial centers in places like Chicago, New York, and Seattle. These buildings offer some of the best views in the US. &nbsp;These tallest buildings in the US include both business and commercial centers as well as residential buildings. If you are interested in architecture and buildings are are wondering “where is the tallest building in America?,” you can find it on this list.

US History

Who built Mount Rushmore? How long did it take to build Mount Rushmore? The answers to these questions are far more complicated than most people realize, and the seemingly innocent American landmark has a history full of controversy and disagreement.&nbsp;The project, as originally conceived, was vastly different than what stands in place today. The politics&nbsp;and history of sculptor Gutzon&nbsp;Borglum shaped the project, and many of his decisions are still hotly debated today.&nbsp;How Mount Rushmore was made is a story that starts in the 1920's. Originally a project meant to entice tourism to South Dakota, Mount&nbsp;Rushmore became an ambitious endeavor meant to honor the history, culture, and spirit of America in general. Construction spanned nearly two decades and the project never quite lived up to its&nbsp;zealous intentions. Still, Mount Rushmore remains an iconic American landmark.&nbsp;Reading up on the history of the monument will leave you with a newfound appreciation of&nbsp;its complexity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Asia

This is a ranked list of the tallest buildings in the Asia. These buildings include some of the newest and most beautiful beautiful building as well as some iconic long-standing skyscrapers. This list answers the question, “<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tallest-buildings-in-europe/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">What is the tallest building</a> in the Asia?” These tallest buildings in Asia can be found everywhere from China, to Malaysia, to the UAE. Skyscrapers have long been one of mankind’s most prolific achievements. Since the dawning of the industrial era in America people have sought to build the biggest and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tallest-buildings-in-the-world/ranker-travel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">tallest buildings in the world</a>. As technology progressed and other nations look to make their mark on architecture, countries around the world are building buildings, each one taller than the next. These skyscrapers are often built by wealthy individuals or hugely successful multinational conglomerates. These tallest skyscrapers can be found all around Asia in commercial centers in places like Shanghai, Kuala Lampur, and Dubai. These buildings offer some of the best views in Asia. These tallest buildings in Asia include both business and commercial centers as well as residential buildings. If you are interested in architecture and buildings are are wondering “where id the tallest building in Asia is?” you can find it on this list.

Architectural Marvels

pageType

safe_grapeshot

X_AMP

affiliate_intent

cb_architectural-marvels

srch

Attractions

List of top things to do in India. What are the best things to see in India? This list ranks the most popular tourist attractions in India, from the Taj Mahal to the tropical beaches. There are plenty of things to see and do in India with its rich history and geographical diversity.&nbsp;Millions of tourists visit the Taj Mahal every year, one of India's top destinations. The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and is widely recognized as an icon of Muslim art and one of India's most admired masterpieces. India is the origin of four world religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism, so many tourists visit the country for spiritual travel each year and visit many of the sacred temples or the sacred Granges River. The Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu&nbsp;pilgrimage that attracts many visitors each year to the river. It is known as the largest peaceful gathering in the world.&nbsp;India also offers exotic landscapes with a vast geographic variety including beautiful beaches, snow-covered mountains and dense forests that make the country a popular destination for outdoor adventures.What are the top things to do in India? Use this list to rank the best attractions in India. If your favorite tourist destinations in India aren't on this list of attractions in India, make sure to add them.

Top Must-See Attractions in India | List of Best Things to Do in India

The Top Must-See Attractions in India

Best Places Lists, Top 10 Places- Find any Places List at Ranker

Location

Best Rankings of Places to Visit, Interesting Travel Destinations and Popular Attractions

places-and-travel

Ranker Travel

Gender

Women

Gen Zs

Millenials

Gen Xers

Baby Boomers

Region

West Coast US

Mountain US

Midwest US

Southern US

Northeastern US

International

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal stands on the southern bank of the Yamuna River. The mausoleum is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India" and remains as one of the world’s most celebrated structures and a symbol of India’s rich history.
Regarded by many as the best example of the Mughal architecture, it is a perfect blend combining elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish as well as Indian architectural styles.
The famed mausoleum complex of white domed marble of the Taj Mahal actually is an integrated complex of many structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed in about 22 years, in 1653, employing around 20,000 artisans and craftsmen throughout the empire. The construction was entrusted to a board of architects, the chief architect probably being Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, Taj Mahal attracts some 3 million people a year for visit.

The Red Fort

The Red Fort was the residence of the Mughal emperor of India for nearly 200 years, until 1857. It is located in the centre of Delhi and houses a number of museums. In addition to accommodating the emperors and their households, it was the ceremonial and political centre of Mughal government and the setting for events critically impacting the region.
The Red Fort, constructed by Shah Jahan, was built as the fortified palace of Shahjahanabad, capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in 1648. Named for its massive enclosing walls of red sandstone, it is adjacent to the older Salimgarh Fort, built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. The imperial apartments consist of a row of pavilions, connected by a water channel known as the Stream of Paradise. The Red Fort is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity under Shah Jahan. Although the palace was planned according to Islamic prototypes, each pavilion contains architectural elements typical of Mughal buildings, reflecting a fusion of Timurid, Persian and Hindu traditions.

Ganges

The Ganges, also Ganga, is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is the third largest river by discharge.
The Ganga is the most sacred river to Hindus. It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. It is worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism. It has also been important historically, with many former provincial or imperial capitals located on its banks.
The Ganges was ranked as the fifth most polluted river of the world in 2007. Pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species, 90 amphibian species and the endangered Ganges river dolphin. The Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been a major failure thus far, due to corruption, lack of technical expertise, poor environmental planning, and lack of support from religious authorities.

Konark Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple, at Konark, in Odisha, India. It is believed that the temple was built by king Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty around AD 1250. The temple is in the shape of a gigantic chariot with elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls. A major part of the structure is now in ruins. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also featured on NDTV's list of Seven Wonders of India and Times of India's list of Seven Wonders of India.

Kedarnath Temple

Kēdārnāth Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to the god Shiva. It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to Kartik Purnima. During the winters, the vigrahas from Kedarnath temple are brought to Ukhimath and worshiped there for six months. Lord Shiva is worshiped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region.
The unstable temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14 kilometres uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony and manchan service is available to reach the structure. The temple was built by Pandavas and revived by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. Pandavas were supposed to have pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath. The temple is one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas.
Kedarnath was the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods in North India.

Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal, is a palace in Jaipur, India, so named because it was essentially a high screen wall built so the women of the royal household could observe street festivities while unseen from the outside. Constructed of red and pink sandstone, the palace sits on the edge of the City Palace, and extends to the zenana, or women's chambers.

Jagannath Temple, Puri

The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous, sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located on the eastern coast of India, at Puri in the state of Odisha.
The temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and Vishnu, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages that a Hindu is expected to make in one's lifetime.
Even though most Hindu deities that are worshiped are made out of stone or metal, the image of Jagannath is wooden. Every twelve or nineteen years these wooden figures are ceremoniously replaced by using sacred trees, that have to be carved as an exact replica. The reason behind this ceremonial tradition is the highly secret Navakalevara ceremony, an intricate set of rituals that accompany the renewal of the wooden statues.
The temple was built in the 12th century atop its ruins by the progenitor of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva. The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Since medieval times, it is also associated with intense religious fervour.

Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India are about 29 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as "the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting", which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales. The caves were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, with the second group of caves built around 400–650 CE according to older accounts, or all in a brief period of 460 to 480 according to the recent proposals of Walter M. Spink. The site is a protected monument in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India Gate

The India Gate, originally called the All India War Memorial, is a war memorial located astride the Rajpath, on the eastern edge of the ‘ceremonial axis’ of New Delhi, formerly called Kingsway. India gate is a memorial to 82,000 soldiers of the undivided British Indian Army who died in the period 1914–21 in the First World War, in France, Flanders, Mesopotamia, Persia, East Africa, Gallipoli and elsewhere in the Near and the Far East, and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. 13,300 servicemen's names, including some soldiers and officers from the United Kingdom, are inscribed on the gate. The India Gate, even though a war memorial, evokes the architectural style of the triumphal arch like the Arch of Constantine, outside the Colosseum in Rome, and is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and the Gateway of India in Bombay. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
In 1971, following the Bangladesh Liberation war, a small simple structure, consisting of a black marble plinth, with reversed rifle, capped by war helmet, bounded by four eternal flames, was built beneath the soaring Memorial Archway.

Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city.
The present-day structure was built by the Mughals, though a fort had stood there since at least the 11th century. Agra Fort was originally a brick fort known as Badalgarh, held by Raja Badal Singh Hindu Sikarwar Rajput king. It was mentioned for the first time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sikandar Lodi was the first Sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the importance of the second capital. He died in the fort at 1517 and his son, Ibrahim Lodi, held it for nine years until he was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526. Several palaces, wells and a mosque were built by him in the fort during his period.
After the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, Mughals captured the fort and seized a vast treasure, including the diamond later known as the Koh-i-Noor. The victorious Babur stayed in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim and built a baoli in it.

Gateway of India

The Gateway of India is a monument built during the British Raj in Mumbai City of Maharashtra state in Western India . It is located on the waterfront in the Apollo Bunder area in South Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea. The structure is a basalt arch, 26 metres high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water's edge in Mumbai Harbour. It was a crude jetty used by the fishing community which was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other prominent people. In earlier times, it would have been the first structure that visitors arriving by boat in Mumbai would have seen. The Gateway has also been referred to as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai, and is the city's top tourist attraction.
The structure was erected to commemorate the landing of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder, when they visited India in 1911. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924.

Rohtang Pass

Rohtang Pass, is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas around 51 km from Manali. It connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh, India. Manali-Leh Highway, a part of NH 21, transverses Rohtang Pass.

Sundarbans

The Sundarbans is a natural region in Bengal. It is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world. The Sundarbans covers approximately 10,000 square kilometres of which 60 percent is in Bangladesh with the remainder in India. The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Sundarbans National Park is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in the Indian state of West Bengal. Sundarbans South, East and West are three protected forests in Bangladesh. This region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger.

Howrah Bridge

Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge with a suspended span over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it replaced a pontoon bridge at the same location linking the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata. On 14 June 1965 it was renamed Rabindra Setu {রবীন্দ্র সেতু}, after the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was the first Indian and Asian Nobel laureate. It is still popularly known as the Howrah Bridge.
The bridge is one of two on the Hooghly River and is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal. The other bridges are the Vidyasagar Setu, the Vivekananda Setu, and the newly built Nivedita Setu. It weathers the storms of the Bay of Bengal region, carrying a daily traffic of approximately 100,000 vehicles and possibly more than 150,000 pedestrians, easily making it the busiest cantilever bridge in the world. The third-longest cantilever bridge at the time of its construction, the Howrah Bridge is the sixth-longest bridge of its type in the world.

Meenakshi Amman Temple

Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500 year old city of Madurai and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE. It houses 14 gopurams, ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres high, and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays, and receives an annual revenue of sixty million. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city. The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.

Gir Forest National Park

The Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a forest and wildlife sanctuary in Gujarat, India. Established in 1965, with a total area of 1412 km² about 258 km² for the fully protected area (the national park) and (1153 km² for the Sanctuary), the park is located 43 km in the north-east from Somnath, 65 km to the south-east of Junagadh and 60 km to south west of Amreli.
It is the sole home of the Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia due to its supported species. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forest area of Gir and its lions were declared as "protected" in the early 1900s by the Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh. This initiative assisted in the conservation of the lions whose population had plummeted to only 15 through slaughter for trophy hunting.
The April 2010 census recorded the lion-count in Gir at 411 which includes the lions in Gir, Devalia (Gir Interpretation Zone) and Junagarh Zoo, an increase of 52 compared to 2005.

Badrinath Temple

Badrinath Temple, also called Badrinarayan Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu which is situated in the town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand, India. The temple and town form one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The temple is also one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Badrinath—holy shrines for Vaishnavites. It is open for six months every year, between the end of April and the beginning of November, because of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region. The temple is located in Garhwal hill tracks in Chamoli district along the banks of Alaknanda River at an elevation of 3,133 m above the mean sea level. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centres of India, having recorded 1,060,000 visits.
The image of the presiding deity worshipped in the temple is a 1 m tall, black stone statue of Vishnu in the form of Badrinarayan. The statue is considered by many Hindus to be one of eight swayam vyakta kshetras, or self-manifested statues of Vishnu.
Mata Murti Ka Mela, which commemorates the descent of river Ganges on mother earth, is the most prominent festival celebrated in the Badrinath Temple.

Qutb Minar

Qutb Minar, also written as Qutub Minar or Qutab Minar, is the 2nd tallest minar in India after Fateh Burj in Chappar Chiri at Mehrauli which stands 100 meters tall. Qutb Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, the Qutb Minar is made of red sandstone and marble. The stairs of the tower has 379 steps, is 72.5 metres high, and has a base diameter of 14.3 metres, which narrows to 2.7 metres at the top. Construction was started in 1193 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak and was carried on by his successor, Iltutmish. In 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlaq constructed the fifth and the last storey. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as the Qutb complex.

Victoria Memorial

The Victoria Memorial is a large marble building in Kolkata, West Bengal, India which was built between 1906 and 1921. It is dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria and is now a museum and tourist destination under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. The Memorial lies on the Maidan by the bank of the Hooghly river, near Jawaharlal Nehru road.

tridib.b5

Charminar

The Charminar, also known as built in 1591 CE, is a monument and mosque located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The landmark has become a global icon of Hyderabad, listed among the most recognized structures of India. The Charminar is situated on the east bank of Musi river. To the west lies the Laad Bazaar, and to the southwest lies the richly ornamented granite Makkah Masjid.
The English name is a translation and combination of the Urdu words Chār and Minar, translating to "Four Towers"; the eponymous towers are ornate minarets attached and supported by four grand arches.
Some of the popular myths that are recorded in accord with the monument's architectural appearance are as follows.
The Archaeological Survey of India, the current caretaker of the structure, mentions in its records that, "There are various theories regarding the purpose for which Charminar was constructed. However, it is widely accepted that Charminar was built at the center of the city, to commemorate the eradication of plague", as Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah had prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a Mosque at the very place where he prayed.

Haji Ali Dargah

The Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and dargah located on an islet off the coast of Worli in the Southern part of Mumbai. Near the heart of the city proper, the dargah is one of the most recognisable landmarks of Mumbai.
An exquisite example of Indo-Islamic Architecture, associated with legends about doomed lovers, the dargah contains the tomb of Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.

Lotus Temple

The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, India, is a Bahá'í House of Worship completed in 1986. Notable for its flowerlike shape, it serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent and has become a prominent attraction in the city. The Lotus Temple has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles.

Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river. It is considered to be the largest peaceful gathering in the world where around 100 million people were expected to visit during the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013 in Allahabad. It is held every third year at one of the four places by rotation: Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik and Ujjain. Thus the Kumbh Mela is held at each of these four places every twelfth year. Ardha Kumbh Mela is held at only two places, Haridwar and Allahabad, every sixth year. The rivers at these four places are: the Ganges at Haridwar, the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at Allahabad, the Godawari at Nashik, and the Shipra at Ujjain. The name Kumbh Mela comes from Hindi, and in the original Sanskrit and other Indian languages it is more often known as Kumbha Mela. Kumbha means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Sanskrit. The pilgrimage is held for about one and a half months at each of these four places where it is believed in Hinduism that drops of nectar fell from the kumbha carried by gods after the sea was churned. Bathing in these rivers is thought to cleanse one of all sins.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

The Rashtrapati Bhavan, "Presidential Residence" is the official home of the President of India, located in New Delhi, Delhi, India. It may refer to only the mansion that has the President's official residence, halls, guest rooms and offices; it may also refer to the entire 130 hectare President Estate that additionally includes huge presidential gardens, large open spaces, residences of bodyguards and staff, stables, other offices and utilities within its perimeter walls. The main palace building was formerly known as Viceroy's House. In terms of area, it is the third largest residence of a Head of State in the world after the Quirinal Palace in Rome and Buckingham Palace in London.

Jama Masjid, Delhi

The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā, commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the largest mosque in India.
It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1658 at a cost of 1 million rupees, and was inaugurated by an imam from Bukhara, present-day Uzbekistan. The mosque was completed in 1656 AD with three great gates, four towers and two 40 m high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. The courtyard can accommodate more than 25,000 persons. There are three domes on the terrace which are surrounded by the two minarets. On the floor, a total of 899 black borders are marked for worshippers. The architectural plan is similar to that of Badshahi Masjid, built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb at Lahore, Pakistan.
The mosque has been the site of two attacks, one in 2006 and another in 2010. During the first, two explosions occurred in the mosque, injuring thirteen people. In the second, two Taiwanese students were injured as two gunmen opened fire upon them.

List of top things to do in India. What are the best things to see in India? This list ranks the most popular tourist attractions in India, from the Taj Mahal ...