9 Best Heritage Sites & Historical Places near Kanpur

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 ...

...read more

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.

...read more

At a distance of 47 km from Chhatarpur, 118 km from Satna, 179 km from Jhansi, 223 km from Kanpur, 265 km from Jabalpur, 283 km from Gwalior, 283 km from Allahabad, 388 km from Bhopal and 624 km from Delhi, Khajuraho is a historical town located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho is one of the top places to visit in Madhya Pradesh and among the must include places in your Madhya Pradesh tour packages.

Earlier, Khajuraho was the cultural capital of Chandela Rajputs who ruled this part of India during 10th to 12th centuries AD. Khajuraho Temples were built by the Chandela monarchs over a span of 200 years, from 950 to 1150 AD. After the fall of Chandela rulers, these temples were abandoned and long-forgotten until rediscovered by British Captain T.S. Burt, in 1838 AD. Known around the world for its stunning temples adorned by erotic carvings, the Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the seven wonders of India.

The marvelous architecture and erotic carvings are the best and most notable aspects of Khajuraho temples. There were originally over 80 Hindu temples, of which only 25 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about 8 square miles. The temples also have numerous other sculptures depicting the life of a common man in that era. Khajuraho ...

...read more

At a distance of 121 km from Agra, 174 km from Mathura, 268 km from Kanpur, 330 km from New Delhi, 334 km from Lucknow, 346 km from Jaipur, 448 km from Bhopal and 459 km from Allahabad, Gwalior is a historical city situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the important tourist places near Agra and also one of the top tourist destinations in Madhya Pradesh.

One of the most beautiful cities of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior is very famous for its glorious history and rich cultural heritage. After being founded by Maharaja Suraj Sen in 8th century AD, Gwalior Fort was described as the pearl amongst fortresses in India. The city and its fortress have been ruled by several historic northern Indian kingdoms. From the Tomars in the 13th century, it was passed on to the Mughal Empire, then to the Maratha in 1754, followed by the Scindias in 18th century AD.

Well-known for its ancient temples, marvelous palaces and alluring monuments, Gwalior is the tourist capital of Madhya Pradesh. Gwalior is best known for being the birthplace of the great musician, Tansen. And apart from all this, Gwalior was also one among the five princely states that got the honor of 21 gun salute during the British rule. Gwalior Fort, Jai Vilas Mahal, Teli ka Mandir, Sun Temple, Gujari Mahal, Sas Bahu Temple, Man Mandir Palace are some of the popular places to visit in Gwalior. Gwalior ...

...read more

Chanderi is a historical town positioned beautifully along the River Betwa in Madhya Pradesh. About 207 km from Gwalior, and 218 km from Bhopal, it is one of the popular places to visit in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-include places in India tour packages.

Surrounded by magnificent hills, forests, and beautiful lakes, Chanderi boasts of a kind of scenic beauty that should be experienced by travellers of all sorts as part of Chanderi packages. This small town is located along the Betwa river, further, making it an amazing option to explore. Chanderi is also famous for its vibrant weaving industry and one can find a variety of weaves right from Chanderi cotton-silk to pure Chanderi silk here and every weave is exemplary in itself. It is one of the top places to visit near Bhopal.

Tourism in Chanderi consists of a mix of forts, monuments, lakes, and temples. Chanderi Fort, Koshak Mahal, Badal Mahal Gate, Kati Ghati Gateway, Chanderi Museum, Rajghat Dam, Jauhar Monument, etc. are some of the prominent tourist places in Chanderi.

...read more

At a distance of 58 km from Panna and 104 km from Khajuraho, Kalinjar Fort is a historical fort situated at Kalinjar in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the ancient forts in Madhya Pradesh and also one of the popular attraction not to miss in a Khajuraho tour Packages.

Kalinjar Fort is located on an isolated flat-topped hill in the Vindhya Range, with a height of 244 m above the plains. It is one of the eight famous forts built by Chandela kings. It served many ruling dynasties in the region, from Guptas to Solankis to the Chandela dynasty. Although many rulers fought fierce battles to win this fort, the Chandelas managed to control it for a long time. Mughal invader Babur was the only commander in history to have captured the fort in 1526 CE. It was also the place where Sher Shah Suri met his death in 1545 CE. Kalinjar played a prominent part in history down to the time of the Revolt of 1857, when it was held by a small British garrison.

Kalinjar Fort is a treasure trove for history lovers with its rich collection of monuments, temples and artefacts. The main body of the fort lies from east to west, oblong in form, being nearly a mile in length by half a mile in breadth. The fort has a height of 30-35 meter and 8 meter wide. Big sand stone and granite pieces are used to build the fort. The name of the fort was coined by using Kalinjar, which is related to the incident of Lord Shiva consuming the ...

...read more

At a distance of 33 km from Panna and 65 km from Khajuraho, Ajaygarh Fort is an ancient fort situated at Ajaygarh in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. Ajaygarh Fort is listed among the top attractions of the region.

Built at a height of 688 meters, Ajaigarh or Ajaygarh Fort stands on a flat-topped projection of Vindhya ranges. It was the capital of the Chandelas in their declining years. The fort is bordered by beautiful Vindhya Hills and provides absolutely stunning views of the Ken River. This grand fort is noted for its rich historical past and architectural beauty, which speaks volumes about the Chandela dynasty.

There is plenty to explore in the fort, which makes it a treat for history lovers. Ajaigarh Fort originally had five gates, but now only two gates are survived. There are two temples and two rock-cut tanks present inside the fort. These tanks have been named as Ganga and Yamuna. Close to it is a ruined Chandela temple, dedicated to Raja Parmardi deva. Three ruined Jain temples built in Khajuraho style have been traced here. The fort walls have been constructed with large, dressed, stones and no visible mortar.

One has to climb 500 steep steps to reach the fort entrance. There are no signboards, maps, info sources, human habitation at the top. It is not a well-developed place so one needs to carry water and food.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

...read more

At a distance of 35 km from Gwalior Junction and 28 km from Morena, Bateshwar Temples are a group of historical temples situated in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. Bateshwar is one of best heritage place in Madhya Pradesh and also one of the prominent places to visit in Gwalior. It is maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.

Bateshwar complex is home to about 200 sandstone temples. Spread over an area of 25 acres in the ravines of Chambal, Bateshwar Temples were constructed during 8th to 11th century CE by the Kings of Gurjara - Pratihara dynasty. Most temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva while some are dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple complex was ruined due to the earthquake in the area.

The Archaeological Survey has begun the restoration work in 2005. More than 100 temples have been restored till now. Bateshwar Temple Complex is wonderful with its stone architectures, intricate sculptures and overall design shows their passion towards art. It is more amazing to see so many temples spread in one place.

Padhavali temple is another historical temple situated about 2 km from famous Bateshwar temple complex. Located inside an old fort, this magnificent temple is known purely for its classic architecture and exquisite stonework. The temple, particularly its roof, depicts ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, Ram Leela, Krishna Leela, marriage of Lord Shiva, samudra manthan ...

...read more

At a distance of 19 km from Chanderi, Budhi Chanderi is a historical site located at Nidanpur near Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the most popular places of heritage in Madhya Pradesh, and among the must-visit tourist places near Chanderi.

Situated on the right bank of the Urr River, Boodhi Chanderi was a large settlement of the Gurjara Pratiharas and possibly their capital. Earlier called Chandrapuri, it was first discovered in 1865 by Alexander Cunningham, the first director of the Archaeological Survey of India. Later, the German traveler Claus Boone also visited the place. The ASI Museum of Chanderi was associated with the place of Budhi Chanderi.

The site consists of the ruins of around 55 Jain temples, most of which are in ruins. The temples here are believed to have been built between the 9th - 11th centuries by the Pratihara kings. The architecture is similar to that of the Badoh Pathari Jain temple. Surprisingly, some of the structures possibly saw restoration during the Bundela period as some of the superstructures have features of the Bundela architectural style. One inscription, dated to the beginning of the 16th century, has been found carved on a sati pillar which mentions the name of the place as Nasirabad, after the ruler Nasiruddin Khilji. This implies that a small settlement might have existed even during the Muslim rule and it might not have been as abandoned as it is today.

The ASI has collected more than 2500 artifacts from Budhi ...

...read more