15 Best Heritage Sites in Uttar Pradesh

At a distance of 214 km from Delhi, 242 km from Jaipur, 359 km from Lucknow, 576 km from Bhopal, 847 km from Patna and 876 Km from Ahmedabad, Agra, the land of the Taj Mahal, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is situated on the banks of River Yamuna in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Agra is also among best weekend getaways near Delhi & Noida for a two day trip. Agra is one of the most popular tourist places in India and also one of the most famous tourist places to visit in Uttar Pradesh. Agra is included on the Golden Triangle tourist circuit, along with Delhi and Jaipur.

Agra is one of the most popular tourist destinations of the World with three UNESCO World Heritage monuments - Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri & Red Fort. Agra was first mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, where it was called Agrevana meaning the border of the forest. Sultan Sikandar Lodi (1488-1517) was the first to move his capital from Delhi to Agra in 1504. After his death in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi continued to rule, until his defeat in the first battle of Panipat at the hands of the Mughal Emperor Babur in 1526. Agra famously became the capital of the Mughal Emperors from 1526 to 1658. It was known then as Akbarabad and remained the capital of the Mughal Empire under the Emperors Akbar, Jahangir ...

At a distance of 37 km from Agra, 223 km from Delhi and 209 km from Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted fort city in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. UNESCO declared this complex as a World Heritage Site in 1986. It is one of the popular place to visit along with Golden Triangle tour and also among ideal weekend getaways from Delhi & Noida cities.

Akbar, the greatest Mughal Emperor, was commissioned Fatehpur Sikri in 1569. The city was constructed to honour Sufi saint, Sheikh Salim Chisti, who used to live in a cavern on the ridge at Sikri. Akbar revered him very much as the Saint had blessed him with a son who was named Salim in 1569. Akbar shifted his capital from Agra to Sikri in 1571 and named the city as Fatehabad meaning victorious. This city served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1571 till 1585 and was later called Fatehpur Sikri. However, 15 years after it was established, the court had to be moved out of Fatehpur Sikri because of acute shortage of water. In 1619 Emperor Jahangir camped here for three months while a plague raged in nearby Agra. The city was refurbished to host the coronation of Muhammad Shah in 1719. After that, the city was largely abandoned until Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India for the British from 1898 to 1905, sponsored an archaeological survey and restoration ...

Also known as Ishipatna, and Mrigadaya, Sarnath is one of the sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India and also one of the must include places in Varanasi Tour Packages. According to the legend, Lord Buddha after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya came to Sarnath and delivered his first sermon to his five disciples. Hence, Sarnath is considered as one of the four most important Buddhist pilgrimage centers of India, the other three being Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, and Kushinagar. About 10 km from Varanasi, and 135 km from Allahabad, Sarnath is also sacred to the Jains as it is the site of asceticism and death of Shreyamshanath, the 11th Tirthankara.

A quiet and spiritual town, Sarnath is a city of historical marvel with numerous Buddhist stupas, museums, excavated ancient sites, and beautiful temples. Dhamek Stupa, the Chaukhandi Stupa, Ashoka Pillar, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, Deer Park, Archaeological Museum, Tibetan Temple, Thai Monastery, Japanese Temple, and Chinese Temple are some of the prominent places to visit in Sarnath. Being an important Buddhist pilgrimage spot, Sarnath celebrates Buddha Purnima with a lot of enthusiasm.

Jhansi is a historical city lies in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. About 102 km from Gwalior, 235 from Kanpur, and 314 from Lucknow, it is one of the top places to visit in India, and among the must-visit places as part of Uttar Pradesh tour packages.

Situated between Betwa and Pahunch Rivers, Jhansi is one of the top places to visit near Gwalior. Earlier known as Balwant Nagar, Jhansi was the seat of the Chandela dynasty and flourished under their rule. The region got its name from the fort built by Raja Bir Singh Deo, in 1613 CE, one of the must-include places in Jhansi packages.

The artistic grandeur of the Chandela rulers is still evident in the monuments and other ancient structures standing in the city. Jhansi Fort, Rani Jhansi Museum, Parichha Dam, Rani Lakshmi Bai Park, Barua Sagar, Rani Mahal, and Cenotaphs of Gangadhar Rao are the top tourist places in Jhansi.

The historical town of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh is one of the popular places of Buddhist Pilgrimage in India, and among the must include places in Uttar Pradesh Tour Packages. About 54 km from Gorakhpur, and 329 km from Lucknow, Kushinagar is one of the four holy sites of Buddhism as it is the place where Gautam Buddha delivered his last sermon, attained Mahaparinirvana (salvation) in 483 BC, and was cremated at Rambhar Stupa.

Kushinagar is a city of beautiful stupas and temples. The Mahaparinirvana Temple, with the world-famous reclining nirvana statue of Buddha, is an important site to visit in Kushinagar. Besides, the Japanese Temple, Ramabhar Stupa, Buddha Museum, Wat Thai Temple, Matha Kuar Shrine, Kushinagar Museum, etc. are some of the top places to visit in Kushinagar.

Every year, Buddha Poornima is celebrated here with great enthusiasm during April/May.

The ancient city of Shravasti is one of the popular places of Buddhist pilgrimage in India and among the must include tourist destinations in Uttar Pradesh Tour Packages. About 175 km from Lucknow, it was one of the six largest cities in ancient India when Gautam Buddha began to spread his teachings of Buddhism around the Indian subcontinent.

Shravasti is closely associated with the life of Gautama Buddha, who is believed to have spent 25 rainy seasons here. Also, Shravasti is an important center for the believers of Jainism since Sobhanath temple is believed to be the birthplace of Tirthankara Sambhavanath of Jainism. Anathapindika Stupa, Angulimala Stupa, Jetavana Monastery, Shobnath Temple, Vibhuti Nath Temple, etc., are some of the top places to visit in Shravasti.

Shravasti Mahotsav is one of the major cultural events celebrated in Shravasti towards the end of winter (January). Various local artists showcase their talent throughout this festival.

Hastinapur is a historical city in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. Situated about 41 km from Meerut, 129 km from New Delhi, and 447 km from Lucknow, it is one of the popular places to visit in Uttar Pradesh, and among the must-include places in India tour packages.

Situated on the right bank of the holy Ganges near Meerut, Hastinapur is an ancient town that was the center of the glorious tales of the great Hindu epic Mahabharata. It was the legendary capital of Kauravas. Hastinapur is viewed as one of the holiest places by both Hindus and Jains alike. This ancient town is also the birthplace of three Jain Tirthankaras. Also being the birthplace of Panch Pyare Bhai Dharam Singh, one of the five disciples of Guru Govind Singh Ji, Hastinapur is also a center for Sikh devotees. One can find many famous and historical places around and within the city to explore and gain a lot of information about the history of our country as part of Hastinapur packages.

Some of the best Hastinapur tourist places are Pandeshwar Temple, Karna Temple, Jambudweep, Bada Digambar Jain Temple, Ashtapad, Kailash Parvat, and Bhai Dharam Singh Gurdwara. It is also one of the top places to visit near Delhi ...

At a distance of 14 km from Varanasi Junction, Ramnagar fort is a medieval fort located on the banks of River Ganges in Ramnagar area of Varanasi. Ramnagar Fort is one of the popular forts in Uttar Pradesh and among the best places to visit in Varanasi.

Ramnagar Fort was constructed by Maharaja Balwant Singh in 18th century CE. This was the royal residence of Raja of Banaras, also known as Kashi Naresh. The fort represents typical Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions. Built with creamy-coloured Chunar sandstone, the fort houses a temple, a museum and the king's residential complex. The temple is dedicated to Ved Vyasa, the author of the Indian epic the Mahabharata. As per the legends, it is believed that Ved Vyasa resided within the fort for a short period.

The fort still retains its charm and attracts tourists in large numbers. One can still witness the ornamented swords, photographs of tiger shoots and visits by the King and Queen of Belgium can be seen decorated on the wall. The hall of public audience, popularly known as 'Durbar Hall', is converted into a museum now. The museum is famous for its rare collection of old American cars, ivory works, medieval costumes, and a huge astronomical clock. Ramnagar Fort also houses the Durga Temple, temple of Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman and Chhinnamastika Temple.

Only a part of the structure is open for public as the rest of it is the residence of Kashi Naresh ...

At a distance of 17 km from Kushinagar, Sun Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in Turkpatti near Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the sacred shrines in Kushinagar, and among the best places as part of the Kushinagar Trip.

Dedicated to the Sun God, the Sun Temple was built during the Gupta Period and is mentioned in the Puranas. The temple is famous for its idol of the Sun God which was carved out of a special black stone (Neelmani Stone). The statue was believed to have been found during excavations conducted between the 4th and the 5th centuries.

Surya is worshiped widely on every Sunday. The Sun Festival, held in November every year, is a center of attraction for the people.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

Entry: Free

At a distance of 24 km from Jhansi Junction, Barua Sagar is a town and a municipal board in Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. Many monuments, temples and forts adorn Barua Sagar which reminisces the ancient and the historical past.

The town got its name from the beautiful Barua Sagar Lake. Barua Sagar is an artificial lake built by the King of Orchha, Raja Udit Singh about 260 years ago. He also built embankments around this beautiful lake. The place is also famous for being the battleground of the Bundelas and the Marathas in 1744 AD. There is a temple dedicated to Sage Shringarishi on the banks of the lake. A fort, now in ruins, was also built by Raja Udit Singh on the banks of this lake. The fort commands an excellent view of Barua Sagar Lake and the surrounding landscapes.

There are ruins of two Chandela period temples, locally known as Ghughua Math and Jarai Ka Math. Ghughua Math is built in granite and has four cells, each fitted with doorways, of which three have an image of Ganesh and the fourth has an image of Durga. Jarai Ka Math is an east facing temple located in the outskirts of Barua Sagar Town, on Jhansi-Mauranipur road. The temple consists of a sanctum, antarala and a ruined mukha-mandapa.

Jarai Ka Math is probably one of the most popular temples in Barua Sagar that was built during the times of Pratiharas in 860 AD. Parts of the temple have been severely damaged and some have been rebuilt during the Bundelas in 17th Century. The intricate ...