India is a land that has been a witness to several kingdoms, dynasties, governments, and empires. And each of them left-back imprints in the entire country. Consequently, you will find some fascinating historical places in India. So, if you are planning your trip to this glorious land of history, start scrolling down! Here we covered some of the best-known and unknown historical places in India below!
Table of Contents
12 Historical Places in India
There are many historical places in India as it is a home for a lot of empires, dynasties, and kingdoms. All of them have left a mark in this country.
Everywhere in this country, you will find a historical monument from the north (Agra Fort), to the south (Charminar), and from the east (Victoria Memorial) to the west (Amer Fort).
So, we have shortlisted 12 historical places in India which everyone should visit. Check out the following:
Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Taj Mahal deserves to be in the first place in the list of top historical places in India. One of the seven wonders of the world locates beside the river Yamuna.
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan builds this ivory-white marble mausoleum in 1632 for his wife Mumtaz after she died. This monument represents true love as people said Emperor Shah Jahan was grieving about his wife’s death.
It took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal and cost around 3.2 crores INR.
According to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Taj Mahal means the Crown of Palaces in the Persian language.
Entry fees and other expenses
Indian visitors need to pay 45 INR per person, and children up to the age of 15 do not need any entry fee.
People who live out of India might have to pay around Rs. 1050, SAARC visitors need to pay around Rs. 535 and BIMSTEC visitors need to pay around Rs. 535.
For the audio guide, it will cost you around Rs. 120.
There is a free WIFI which you can use for the first 30 minutes. Then you have to pay Rs. 30 for every half an hour.
Additional Rs. 200 for every traveler who desires to go in the mausoleum.
Timings
Opens at 6 AM and closes at 6 PM.
It is closed on Friday, and it is only available to Muslims who will be attending the prayer sessions in the afternoon.
Restrictions
You cannot use drones near or inside the Taj Mahal.
Mobile phones should be kept on silent or turned off. At night mobile phones are banned.
Eating, smoking, and drinking are not allowed inside.
Photography is not allowed inside the central mausoleum.
Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, West Bengal
This white marble magnificent monument was named after Queen Victoria after she ruled for 25 years in India. It is almost the replica of the Victoria Memorial located in London, United Kingdom.
Victoria Memorial is encircled by a green garden and covers a land of 64 acres. A lot of different structures are there in the garden. It looks beautiful in the evening when the sunset as the monument lit up with the yellow orangish light.
There is also a sound and light show that happens in the evening and is a must-watch.
Moreover, it is a must-visit place for people who want to relive the Victorian era in India.
Entry Fees
For Indians, it is Rs. 10 for the garden and Rs. 20 for the museum. In total, Rs. 30 per person.
Free entry fees for Children up to 12 who are in school uniform and army staff in uniform.
Foreigners need to pay Rs. 200 per person.
Timings
The garden opens at 5.30 AM and closes at 6;15 PM.
The museum opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM.
It is close every Monday and all national holidays.
Qutub Minar, Delhi
Qutub Minar is another of the famous historical places in India. It is located in the Mehrauli area in Delhi and was built to represent the Muslim kingdom in north India 2,000 years ago. In 1192, Qutb Ud-Din-Aibak, founder of Delhi Sultanate, build this minar.
Qutub Minar is 238 feet or 72. Fifty-eight meters in height have one iron pillar that hasn’t rusted even a bit for the last 2,000 years. The base diameter is 47 feet or 14.4 meters, the top diameter is 9 feet or 2.7 meters, and it has 379 staircases.
There is a Qutub Minar Festival during October and November, so it is the best time to visit this monument. In the evening there is also a light show which you can attend.
Entry fees
The entry fees per person for Indians, SAARC, and BIMSTEC visitors is Rs. 40.
Foreign visitors need to pay Rs. 600.
Kids up to 15 years are free but with valid IDs.
Timings
Qutub Minar is open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and is closed only on Sunday.
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Most people might not know this, but Hawa Mahal is the tallest structure in the whole world, and that is also without foundation. Hawa Mahal was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799.
Hawa Mahal has got a complicated framework that has 953 tiny windows has and has red and pink sandstone. When you first look at it, it gives an illusion of a crown.
Entry Fees
Indian visitors need to pay around 50 INR per head, and foreign visitors need to pay Rs. 200 per head.
Timings
It opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 4:30 PM.
Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh
Agra is one of the best historical places in India as there are a lot of important monuments and one of them is Agra Fort.
In 1565 AD, Emperor Akbar built this fort for military purposes. Four thousand workers worked every day, and after eight years in 1573, the fort was complete.
Inside the Agra Fort, there are exquisite and delicate constructions such as Jahangiri Mahal, Diwan-i I Aam, Pearl Mosque, Moti Masjid, and Diwan-i I Khas. From the top fort, you can see the Taj Mahal and the river Yamuna.
However, some parts of the fort are off-limit to the public as used by the Indian Army.
You can only enter Agra Fort from the Amar Singh Gate.
In the book “The Sign of Four” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes series) Agra Fort, an interesting fact is also mentioned.
Entry fees
For Indian visitors, it is Rs 40 per head, and for foreign visitors, it is Rs. 550 per head. The entry fee is free for kids below the age of 15.
Timings
It opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM.
Restrictions and Tips
Except for the camera, nothing is allowed inside, not even your headphones, mobile chargers, and other electronic goods.
Mobile phones should be silent or switched off.
If you want to take guides and photographers, it is best to hire someone who has identity proof.
Always carry your identity cards as during booking for entry fees they check your valid ID.
Gwalior Fort, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
This astonishingly constructed fortress is considered one of the famous historical places in India. It is located at the rocky mountain in Gwalior, and this impressive construction rules the whole city of Gwalior.
Mughal emperor Babur even referred to it as the ‘the pearl amongst fortresses in India’.
Entry Fee
Indian visitors need to pay 75 INR per head, and foreign visitors need to pay Rs. 250 per head. Entry is free for children below the age of 15.
Timings
It opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 5:30 PM.
Gateway of India, Mumbai, Maharashtra
The gateway of India is known to be among the well-known landmarks worldwide. It was built as the entry and exit point when the British were ruling our country. But now, it is among the most favorite historical places in India.
Most people who visit Mumbai wish to stay near the Gateway of India, and the Taj Hotel is famous among travelers.
It was built in 1924 by George Wittet to honor King George V and Queen Mary’s visit to Mumbai.
Konark Temple, Puri, Odisha
The temple was built to worship and respect the Sun God. It is located in the north-eastern part of Puri.
It has three divinities devoted to the God of Sun, located on the three different sides of the temple. They catch direct sunlight in the morning, evening, and afternoon.
Entry Fee
For Indian visitors, it cost Rs. 30 per head, and for foreign visitors, it cost Rs. 500 per head.
Additional fees, if any commercial photography.
During the time of the Konark Dance Festival, visitors need to pay Rs. 400 per head.
Timings
The Konark Temple opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 8:00 PM.
Red Fort, Delhi
This fort is one of the renowned historical places in India whose vast size, aesthetic style all signify a time of unrestrained lavishness. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built it in 1639, and it took almost ten years to complete.
The Quila-e-Mubarak, the Red Fort situates on the banks of the river Yamuna. Many known it as the Blessed Fort.
You will find limestone used for building purpose, but during British rule, it started shedding from the wall. Thus, the government painted it in red color.
Entry fees
For Indian visitors, it is Rs. 35 per head, and for foreign visitors, it is Rs. 550 per head.
On weekends, for Indian visitors, it will cost Rs. 80 for adults and Rs. 30 for children.
If you are planning to watch the light and sound show, it will cost Indian visitors Rs. 60 for adults and Rs. 20 for kids.
Timings
It opens at 7:00 AM and closes at 5:30 PM. You can come here any day apart from Mondays.
Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh
Emperor Ashoka created this to honor the Lord Buddha in the 3rd century BC. It is said that the Buddha Statues inside the Sanchi Stupa were painted with Mauryan polish, which made the statues look like glass in the past.
This great Stupa is almost 54 feet in height. It symbolizes the lifecycle of Gautam Buddha, and it was the final and last release from his life of birth and rebirth (Moksha).
The Stupa encircles four doorways that signify numerous acts of the life of Lord Buddha and the Jataka Tales.
Entry fees
Indian visitors, SAARC nations, and BIMSTEC nations need to pay 30 INR per head, and foreign visitors need to pay Rs. 500 per head.
Entry is free for kids up to the age of 15.
Timings
It opens at 8:30 AM and closes at 5:30 PM.
Charminar, Hyderabad, Telangana
It was built by the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah.
According to historians, Charminar was built to rejoice at the end of an outbreak when the emperor was forced to change the location of the capital.
It gets its name because it has four huge minars or pillars, and each is 20 meters long.
It is a beautiful place to visit and is also mysterious as there is an underground passageway from Charminar to Golconda Fort.
Entry fees
For Indian visitors, it will be Rs. 5 per head, and for foreign visitors, it is Rs. 100 per head.
Timings
It is open from 9:00 AM till 5:30 PM. But you cannot enter after 5:00 PM. Though, visitors can still shop from Laad Bazaar.
Amer Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan
On the top of Aravali Hills, Amer Fort is located. The architecture has white and red sandstone and exhibits detailed design on the walls and ceilings.
Amer Fort has Sheesh Mahal has a huge mirror collection, mosaics, and colorful glasses.
Entry fees
For Indian visitors, it is Rs. 25 per head and student with ID Rs. 10.
Foreign visitors need to pay Rs. 200 per head.
If you want to enjoy the elephant ride, then it will cost Rs. 450 per head.
Timings
It opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM. The light show in the English language starts at 7:30 PM and in Hindi starts at 8:00 PM.
Final Thoughts
There are numerous historical places in India which you can visit. Some symbolize war and love, while others that dedicate some noble causes.
Plan your trip a few months before you visit the place. If you have already visited any of these places, share your experience in the comments below.
