List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
The proposed sites must be of outstanding cultural and heritage value and should meet one of the ten prescribed criterias:

(1) Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
(2) Exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
(3) Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
(4) An outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
(5) An outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
(6) Directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
(7) Contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
(8) An outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
(9) The outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
(10) Contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/

Until the end of 2004, heritage sites were selected on the basis of six cultural and four natural criteria, but with the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, only one set of ten criteria exists.

Legal Status of Heritage Sites
If a site is declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is accepted as prima facie evidence that such a site is culturally sensitive and warrants legal protection pursuant to the Law of War under the Geneva Covention.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India


1983
1. Ajanta Caves
2. Ellora Caves
3. Agra Fort
4. Taj Mahal

1984
5. Sun Temple, Konark
6. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

1985
7. Kaziranga, Assam
8. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
9. Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan

1986
10. Churches and Convents of Goa
11. Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh
12. Group of Monuments at Hampi
13. Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh

1987
14. Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
15. Elephanta Caves
16. Great Living Chola Temples
17. Sundarbans National Park

1988
18. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
19. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

1993
20. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
21. Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi

1999
22. Mountain Railways of India

2002
23. Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, Bihar

2003
24. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh

2004
25. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
26. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat

2007
27. Red Fort Complex

2010
28. Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

2012
29. Western Ghats

2013
30. Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh Fort, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Amber Sub-Cluster, Jaisalmer, and Gagron)

2014.
31. Rani ki vav, Patan, Gujarat
32. Great Himalayan National Park

2016
33. Nalanda
34. Khangchendzonga National Park
35. The Architectural Work Of Le Corbusier

2017
36. Historic City of Ahmedabad

2018
37. The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai


Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, Kaziranga National Park, Keoladeo National Park, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Sundarbans National Park, and Western Ghats are natural World heritage sites along with  Khangchendzonga National Park, which has human element. Rest sites are cultural sites.

The nominated sites in recent past for inclusion in the World Heritage site list.

1998
Temples at Bishnupur, West Bengal
Mattanchery Palace, Ernakulam, Kerala
Group of Monuments at Mandu, Madhya Pradesh
Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

2004
Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab
River Island of Majuli in midstream of Brahmaputra River in Assam

2006
Namdapha National Park
Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch

2009
Neora Valley National Park
Desert National Park

2010
Silk Road Sites in India
Santiniketan
The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Charminar
Mughal Gardens in Kashmir

2012
Delhi - A Heritage City

2014
Monuments and Forts of the Deccan Sultanate
Cellular Jail, Andaman Islands
The Glorious Kakatiya Temples and Gateways
Iconic Saree Weaving Clusters of India
Dholavira: A Harappan City
Apatani Cultural Landscape
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
Monuments of Srirangapatna Island Town
Chilika Lake
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala
Sites of Saytagrah, India’s non-violent freedom movement
Thembang Fortified Village
Narcondam Island
Moidams – the Mound-Burial system of the Ahom Dynasty
Ekamra Kshetra – The Temple City, Bhubaneswar
The Neolithic Settlement of Burzahom
Archaeological remains of a Harappa Port-Town, Lothal
Mountain Railways of India (Extension)
Chettinad, Village Clusters of the Tamil Merchants
Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi

2015
Evolution of Temple Architecture – Aihole-Badami- Pattadakal
Jaipur city, Rajasthan India
Cold Desert Cultural Landscape of India
Sites along the Uttarapath, Badshahi Sadak, Sadak-e-Azam, Grand Trunk Road

2016
Keibul Lamjao Conservation Area

2018
Garo Hills Conservation Area (GHCA)
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