Mar 5, 2025, 12:07 PM IST
Home to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Uttar Pradesh is a bountiful and utterly religious state in India. It is home to some of the most beautiful monuments, ancient Hindu temples on the bank of meandering rivers, and cultural sights in India.
Besides, the state of Uttar Pradesh is well known for its UNESCO world heritage sites that are popular throughout the world. Interestingly, they are all located around the city of Agra.
Here is a list of six World heritage sites in Uttar Pradesh that you can surely visit on your next trip to the state.
Taj Mahal is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in Uttar Pradesh that is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built this astounding monument between 1632 and 1653 as a tomb for his dearest wife, Mumtaz, who died due to childbirth in 1631.
Agra Fort is an archaeological masterpiece, and one cannot miss this heritage site in Uttar Pradesh. Akbar was also the man behind this magnificent work of art which he built beside the river Yamuna between 1556 and 1573. He had built this fort as a royal residence and has a serious lack of military installations as a “fort” would otherwise suggest.
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the most bewildering world heritage sites in Uttar Pradesh, built by Mughal emperor Akbar the Great in 1571. Akbar had built this 30 kilometres outside of Agra intended as a capital. The construction of Fatehpur Sikri continued till 1985 when Akbar had to go to war with Punj
Situated at the confluence of two rivers in Uttar Pradesh, Sarnath is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world. This world-renowned archaeological site houses the deer park where Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment.
Commonly famous for embodying Indian culture and spirituality, Varanasi Riverfront is one of the iconic historical sites of Uttar Pradesh. This site stretches over a vast area in front of the River Ganga and is an active spot for activities such as religious festivities and rituals. It consists of a symbolic chain of 84 ghats along with several temples and buildings of spectacular architecture.
Added to the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Iconic Saree Weaving Cluster of India consists of 8 clusters, two of which are located in Uttar Pradesh. Banaras and Mubarakpur are commonly known for having some of the iconic settlements of saree weavers in India.