UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, ASI Monuments, and Famous Forts

India has 42 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (as of 2024), making it the 6th highest country globally. This is a very high-frequency topic in Kerala PSC. Expect 2-4 questions per exam.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India — Cultural (34)

#	Site	State	Year	Key Facts
1	Agra Fort	Uttar Pradesh	1983	Mughal fort; red sandstone
2	Ajanta Caves	Maharashtra	1983	30 Buddhist rock-cut caves; 2nd century BCE to 6th century CE; paintings
3	Ellora Caves	Maharashtra	1983	34 caves — Buddhist, Hindu, Jain; Kailasa Temple (Cave 16) is monolithic
4	Taj Mahal	Uttar Pradesh	1983	Built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal; white marble; completed 1653
5	Sun Temple, Konark	Odisha	1984	Chariot-shaped temple; built by Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga dynasty
6	Mahabalipuram Monuments	Tamil Nadu	1984	Pallava rock-cut temples; Arjuna’s Penance; Shore Temple
7	Churches and Convents of Goa	Goa	1986	Basilica of Bom Jesus (St. Francis Xavier’s remains); Se Cathedral
8	Fatehpur Sikri	Uttar Pradesh	1986	Akbar’s capital; Buland Darwaza (54m, tallest gateway)
9	Hampi Monuments	Karnataka	1986	Vijayanagar Empire capital; Vittala Temple with stone chariot
10	Khajuraho Temples	Madhya Pradesh	1986	Chandela dynasty; famous sculptural art
11	Elephanta Caves	Maharashtra	1987	Island near Mumbai; Trimurti Shiva sculpture
12	Great Living Chola Temples	Tamil Nadu	1987 (ext. 2004)	Brihadisvara (Thanjavur), Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Airavatesvara (Darasuram)
13	Pattadakal Monuments	Karnataka	1987	Chalukya temples; mix of Nagara and Dravidian styles
14	Sanchi Stupa	Madhya Pradesh	1989	Buddhist monuments; Great Stupa built by Ashoka
15	Humayun’s Tomb	Delhi	1993	First garden tomb in India; precursor to Taj Mahal
16	Qutub Minar Complex	Delhi	1993	72.5m tower; Iron Pillar; built by Qutbuddin Aibak
17	Mountain Railways of India	Tamil Nadu, WB, HP	1999 (ext.)	Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Kalka-Shimla railways
18	Bodh Gaya — Mahabodhi Temple	Bihar	2002	Site of Buddha’s enlightenment under Bodhi Tree
19	Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka	Madhya Pradesh	2003	Prehistoric cave paintings; Stone Age evidence
20	Champaner-Pavagadh	Gujarat	2004	Pre-Mughal Islamic architecture
21	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus	Maharashtra	2004	Victoria Terminus; Gothic Revival architecture; Mumbai
22	Red Fort Complex	Delhi	2007	Mughal fort; built by Shah Jahan; Independence Day flag hoisting venue
23	Jantar Mantar, Jaipur	Rajasthan	2010	Astronomical observation site; built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
24	Hill Forts of Rajasthan	Rajasthan	2013	Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore, Gagron, Amber, Jaisalmer
25	Rani ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell)	Gujarat	2014	Built by Udayamati for Bhimdev I (Solanki dynasty); on Rs 100 note
26	Nalanda Mahavihara	Bihar	2016	Ancient Buddhist university; destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji (1193)
27	Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh	Chandigarh	2016	Capitol Complex; transnational site
28	Ahmedabad Historic City	Gujarat	2017	India’s first UNESCO Heritage City
29	Victorian and Art Deco Mumbai	Maharashtra	2018	Ensemble of buildings in Fort area
30	Jaipur City	Rajasthan	2019	”Pink City”; founded by Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727
31	Dholavira (Harappan City)	Gujarat	2021	Indus Valley Civilization site
32	Ramappa Temple (Kakatiya)	Telangana	2021	13th century; floating bricks technology
33	Santiniketan	West Bengal	2023	Founded by Rabindranath Tagore; Visva-Bharati University
34	Sacred Ensembles of Hoysalas	Karnataka	2023	Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura temples

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India — Natural (7)

#	Site	State	Year	Key Facts
1	Kaziranga National Park	Assam	1985	One-horned rhinoceros; highest density of tigers
2	Keoladeo Ghana NP	Rajasthan	1985	Bird sanctuary (Bharatpur); Siberian Crane
3	Manas Wildlife Sanctuary	Assam	1985	Tiger reserve; pygmy hog, golden langur
4	Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers	Uttarakhand	1988 (ext. 2005)	Alpine meadows; biodiversity hotspot
5	Sundarbans National Park	West Bengal	1987	Largest mangrove forest; Royal Bengal Tiger
6	Western Ghats	Multiple states	2012	Kerala, TN, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa — 39 serial sites
7	Great Himalayan National Park	Himachal Pradesh	2014	Conservation area; snow leopard habitat

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India — Mixed (1)

#	Site	State	Year
1	Khangchendzonga National Park	Sikkim	2016

State-wise Distribution (Top States)

State	Number of Sites
Maharashtra	5
Rajasthan	4
Gujarat	4
Tamil Nadu	3
Karnataka	3
Uttar Pradesh	3
Delhi	3
Bihar	2
Madhya Pradesh	3
Kerala	Part of Western Ghats serial nomination

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Feature	Details
Founded	1861 by Alexander Cunningham (father of Indian archaeology)
Under	Ministry of Culture
HQ	New Delhi
Function	Exploration, excavation, conservation, preservation of monuments
Total protected monuments	Over 3,690 (centrally protected)
Notable directors	Alexander Cunningham, John Marshall (excavated Harappa, Mohenjo-daro)
Ticketed monuments	About 140 (Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, etc.)

Famous Forts of India

Fort	State	Built by	Key Facts
Red Fort (Lal Qila)	Delhi	Shah Jahan (1638-48)	PM hoists flag on Independence Day
Agra Fort	UP	Akbar (1565); later additions by Shah Jahan	UNESCO site; red sandstone
Gwalior Fort	MP	Tomar Rajputs (8th century)	Called “Gibraltar of India” by British
Golconda Fort	Telangana	Kakatiya dynasty; later Qutb Shahi	Famous acoustics (hand clap heard at top)
Mehrangarh Fort	Rajasthan	Rao Jodha (1459)	Jodhpur; one of India’s largest forts
Chittorgarh Fort	Rajasthan	Maurya dynasty	Largest fort in India by area; Rani Padmini
Jaisalmer Fort	Rajasthan	Rawal Jaisal (1156)	“Golden Fort” (Sonar Kila); living fort
Bekal Fort	Kerala	Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi (17th century)	Largest fort in Kerala; Kasaragod
Thiruvananthapuram Fort	Kerala	Marthanda Varma	East Fort (Kizhekkekotta)
St. Angelo Fort	Kerala	Portuguese (1505)	Kannur; later held by Dutch and British

Famous Palaces of India

Palace	Location	Key Facts
Mysore Palace	Karnataka	Wodeyar dynasty; Indo-Saracenic style; most visited monument in India after Taj Mahal
City Palace	Jaipur, Rajasthan	Blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture
Hawa Mahal	Jaipur, Rajasthan	”Palace of Winds”; 953 small windows; built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh
Lake Palace	Udaipur, Rajasthan	Floating palace on Lake Pichola; now a luxury hotel
Padmanabhapuram Palace	Thuckalay, Tamil Nadu (administered by Kerala)	Wooden palace; largest wooden palace in Asia; Travancore kings
Bolgatty Palace	Kochi, Kerala	Built by Dutch (1744); one of the oldest Dutch palaces outside Holland
Mattancherry Palace	Kochi, Kerala	Portuguese built (1555); also called Dutch Palace; Kerala murals
Krishnapuram Palace	Alappuzha, Kerala	Travancore period; famous Gajendra Moksham mural

PSC Quick Recall

Question	Answer
Total UNESCO sites in India	42 (34 cultural + 7 natural + 1 mixed)
India’s rank in total UNESCO sites	6th globally
First UNESCO sites inscribed (India)	1983 — Agra Fort, Ajanta, Ellora, Taj Mahal
India’s first Heritage City	Ahmedabad (2017)
ASI founded by	Alexander Cunningham (1861)
Largest fort in India	Chittorgarh Fort
Largest fort in Kerala	Bekal Fort (Kasaragod)
Rani ki Vav appears on which note?	Rs 100 note
Floating bricks temple	Ramappa Temple (Telangana, 2021)
Western Ghats — UNESCO year	2012
Latest Indian UNESCO site (2023)	Santiniketan and Hoysala Temples
Padmanabhapuram Palace location	Thuckalay, Tamil Nadu (under Kerala government)