World Heritage Site...

A World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.

Some of the most famous World Heritage Sites include:

• The Great Wall of China: A series of fortifications built along the northern borders of China to protect the Chinese Empire from invading nomadic tribes.

• The Taj Mahal: A mausoleum located in Agra, India, that was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

• The Colosseum: An elliptical amphitheatre in Rome, Italy, that was built in the 1st century AD and is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of ancient Rome.

• The Pyramids of Giza: A complex of ancient Egyptian pyramids located in Giza, Egypt, which include the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

• The Petra: A historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan that is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system.

These are just a few examples of the many World Heritage sites that can be found around the world. Each of these sites offers a unique glimpse into the history, culture, and natural beauty of the area, and they are considered to be of international importance.

It's worth noting that UNESCO is constantly updating its list of World Heritage Sites, and many countries have multiple sites that have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.

Here are list of some important facts about World Heritage Sites :

1. As of 2023, the World Heritage List includes 1,154 Sites (897 cultural, 218 natural, and 39 mixed properties) exist across 167 countries.

2. World Heritage Site programme was founded with the “Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage” which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. World Heritage Site

3. Italy has the highest number of World Heritage Site with 58.

4. In the Year 2000, total 61 Number of Properties Inscribed which is highest in any year till now.

5. The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman is the first site deleted from World Heritage Site list.

In India :

1. The first sites to be inscripted were Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, and Taj Mahal, of which all were inscribed in the 1983.

2. Till now total 40 sites are included under World Heritage Sites. Out of these, 32 are cultural, 7 are natural, and 1 is mixed (meeting both cultural and natural criteria).

3. The latest site to be inscribed is Dholavira, Gujarat in 2021.Agra Fort


World Heritage Sites in India
Sr. No Name Region Year of inscription
1 Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 1983
2 Ellora Caves Maharashtra 1983
3 Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh, India 1983
4 Taj Mahal Agra, Uttar Pradesh 1983
5 Sun Temple, Konârak Puri District, Odisha 1984
6 Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu 1984
7 Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985
8 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985
9 Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan 1985
10 Churches and Convents of Goa Velha Goa (Old Goa), Goa 1986
11 Khajuraho Group of Monuments Madhya Pradesh 1986
12 Group of Monuments at Hampi Vijayanagara district, Karnataka 1986
13 Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 1986
14 Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Bagalkot District, Karnataka 1987
15 Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 1987
16 Great Living Chola Temples Brihadeeswarar temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil Nadu 1987
Airavateshwarar Temple, Darasuram, Tamil Nadu
Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
17 Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987
18 Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks Uttarakhand 1988
19 Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh 1989
20 Humayun's Tomb, Delhi Delhi 1993
21 Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi Delhi 1993
22 Mountain Railways of India Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (1999), Darjeeling, West Bengal, India 1999
Nilgiri Mountain Railway (2005) Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India
Kalka-Shimla Railway, Himachal Pradesh (2008)
23 Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Bihar 2002
24 Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Madhya Pradesh 2003
25 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) Maharashtra 2004
26 Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Gujarat 2004
27 Red Fort Complex Delhi 2007
28 The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur Jaipur, Rajasthan 2010
29 Western Ghats Agasthyamalai Sub-Cluster (Kerala) 2012
Periyar Sub-Cluster (Kerala)
Anamalai Sub-Cluster (Kerala)
Nilgiri Sub-Cluster (Tamil Nadu)
Talakaveri Sub-Cluster (Karnataka)
Kudremukh Sub-Cluster (Karnataka)
Sahyadri Sub-Cluster (Maharashtra)
30 Hill Forts of Rajasthan Chittorgarh 2013
Kumbhalgarh
Ranthambhore
Amber Sub-Cluster
Jaisalmer
Gagron
31 Rani ki vav (The Queen's Stepwell) Patan, Gujarat 2014
32 Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh 2014
33 Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar Bihar 2016
34 Khangchendzonga National Park Sikkim 2016
35 The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier Chandigarh 2016
36 Historic City of Ahmadabad Ahmedabad, Gujarat 2017
37 The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai Maharashtra 2018
38 Jaipur Jaipur, Rajasthan 2019
39 Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple Telangana 2021
40 Dholavira: A Harappan City Gujarat