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Monuments of India – List of Historical Important Monuments of India

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

Monuments of India portray tradition and diverse cultural brilliance. They are spread across the length and breadth of the country. Historical monuments act as authentic shielding pillars of remarkable artistic mastery. Apart from famous monuments, the country is rich in civilisation, heritage establishments, royal abodes, and sanctuaries. The most famous Indian states possessing the highest number of monuments are Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.

According to ASI (Archeological Survey of India), India owns a total of 116 tagged monuments separated into 19 states. All these monuments of India and their builders are important and bear prosperous cultural heritage and significance. Each State in India has its monuments that bring a deep inheritance. Some of the most famous monuments of India include the Red Fort, Taj Mahal, Gateway of India, Golden Temple, India Gate, Qutab Minar, etc. This article orients about the complete list of monuments with states and their builders.

Table of content

(more)
  • 1. Monuments of India (more)
  • 2. Important Monuments of India (State-Wise) (more)
  • 3. Historical Indian Monuments (more)
  • 4. Which State has the Most Famous Monuments of India? (more)
  • 5. British Monuments of India (more)
  • 6. Religious Monuments of India (more)

Monuments of India

Monuments are structures or buildings well-known for their culture and architectural legacy. They are long-lasting and popular emblems of Indian history as they depict political and historical information about them.

The importance of Indian Monuments are:

  • Indian monuments act as glory for the country and a symbol of the pridefulness of their civilization.
  • Monuments let citizens admire the country’s past and the level of wisdom, evolution, and introspection for it.
  • They are a tremendous reservoir of knowledge for chroniclers.
  • Monuments produce a stunning canvas expressing the colours of India’s ancient culture, exposing stories and riddles of kings and queens and demonstrating wars fought heroically.
  • They function as essential sources and shreds of evidence of record and improve tourism business.

Monuments can be churches, mosques, landmarks, pillars, edicts, gravestones, fountains, temples, memorials, mounds, palaces, monoliths, war memorials, statues, tombs, towers, and many more such structures.

Important Monuments of India (State-Wise)

Below are the important monuments of India, the city and Indian State where they are located, and the rulers who constructed them. Additionally, learn when these major monuments were constructed.

Monuments of India List with States

Monuments of India

Built by

Year/Century

Place

Agra Fort

Akbar

1573 AD

Agra (Uttar Pradesh)

Agra city

Sikandar Lodi

Aram Bagh

Babur

1528 AD

Tomb of Itmad-Ud-Daula

NoorJahan

1628 AD

Jama Masjid

Shah Jahan

1648 AD

Shish Mahal

Shahjahan

1632 AD

Taj Mahal

Shahjahan

1653 AD

Fatehpur Sikri

Jodha Bai Palace

Birbal Palace

Panch Mahal

Buland Darwaza

Akbar

16th century

Akbar’s Tomb

Akbar and his son Jahangir

1613 AD

Sikandra, Agra (Uttar Pradesh)

Deewan-E- Khas

Shahjahan

Agra Fort, Agra (Uttar Pradesh)

Moti Masjid

Shahjahan

1635 AD

Anand Bhawan

Motilal Nehru

1930 AD

Allahabad, (Uttar Pradesh)

Bada Imambara

Asaf-ud-daula

1785 AD

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)

Chhota Imambara

Muhammad Ali Shah

Jantar Mantar

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1724-1738 AD

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)

Jantar Mantar

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1724-1739 AD

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)

Rock cut temple

Mahendravarman-I

8th century

Mamallapuram (Tamil Nadu)

Shore temple

Narasimhavarman-II

8th century

Kailasanathar Temple

Narasimhavarman-II

685-705 AD

Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)

Airavatesvara temple

Rajaraja I

12th century

Darasuram (Tamil Nadu)

Brihadeshwara

Rajaraja chola I

1010 AD

Tanjore (Tamil Nadu)

Gangaikondacholapuram

Rajendra I

12th century

Gangaikonda cholapuram (Tamil Nadu)

Saint George Fort

East India Company

1644 AD

Chennai (Tamil Nadu)

Meenakshi Temple

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Adhai Din Ka Jhopra

Qutubuddin Aibak

1192 AD

Ajmer (Rajasthan)

Dargah Ajmer Sharif

Sultan Shyasuddin

Hawa Mahal

Maharaja Pratap Singh

1799 AD

Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Nahargarh Fort

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1734 AD

Jaigarh Fort

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1726 AD

Vijaya Stambha

Maharana Kumbha

1448 AD

Chittorgarh (Rajasthan)

Dilwara Jain Temple

Vimal Shah

1582 AD

Mount Abu (Rajasthan)

Bharatpur Fort

Raja Surajmal Singh

19th century

Bharatpur (Rajasthan)

Amber Fort

Man Singh I

1592 AD

Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Jantar Mantar

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1724-1736 AD

Mehrangarh Fort

Rao Jodha

1460 AD

Jodhpur (Rajasthan)

Jantar Mantar

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1724-1737 AD

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)

Khajuraho Temples

Chandellas

950-1050 AD

Madhya Pradesh

Char- Minar

Quli Qutub Shah

1591 AD

Hyderabad (Telangana)

Macca Masjid

Quli Qutub Shah

1694 AD

Golconda Fort

Qutub Shahi rulers

16th century

Shri Venkateswara Temple

Andhra Pradesh

Ajanta Caves

Gupta rulers

4-10th century

Aurangabad (Maharashtra)

Bibi Ka Maqbara

Aurangzeb

1661 AD

Ellora Caves

Rashtrakuta rulers

6-10th century

Maharashtra

Elephanta Caves

Rashtrakuta rulers

5-9 century

Mumbai (Maharashtra)

Gateway Of India

British Govt.

20th century

Vikramasila Monastery

Dharma Pala

8th century

Bihar

Nalanda University

Kumargupta I

Shershah’s Tomb

Shershah’s son

1545 AD

Sasaram (Bihar)

Purana Qila

Shershah Suri

16th century

Delhi

Safdar Jung Tomb

Shuja-ud-Daula

1754 AD

Qutub Minar

Qutubuddin Aibak

1193 AD

Alai Darwaza

Alauddin Khiliji

1311 AD

Hauz Khas

Alauddin Khilji

Ferozshah Kotla

Ferozshan Tughlaq

Khirki Masjid

Ghyasuddin Tughlaq

1354 AD

Humayun’s Tomb

Humayun’s wife

1533 AD

Jama Masjid

Shahjahan

1656 AD

Red Fort

Shahjahan

1639 AD

Moti Masjid

Aurangzeb

1660 AD

Delhi Fort, Delhi

Jantar Mantar

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II

1724-1735 AD

New Delhi

India Gate

Edwin Lutyens (Architect)

Lal Bagh

Hyder Ali

1760 AD

Bangaluru (Karnataka)

Gol Gumbaz (largest dome in India)

Muhammad Adil Shah

1656 AD

Bijapur, Karnataka

Hampi Monuments

Karnataka

Swarna Mandir (Golden Temple)

Guru Ram Das with the fifth, Guru Arjan

1577 AD

Amritsar (Punjab)

Shantiniketan

Rabindra Nath Tagore

19th century

West Bengal

Victoria Memorial

British Govt.

1921 AD

Kolkata (West Bengal)

Sun Temple

Narsimhadeva I

1250 AD

Konark (Odisha)

Jagannath Temple

Anantvarman Ganga

1161 AD

Puri (Odisha)

Shalimar Garden

Jahangir

1619 AD

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir)

Historical Indian Monuments

Let’s dive in and learn more about historical Indian monuments, along with their location. We have added the monuments of India list with states in a tabulated way below.

Important Monuments of India

Built by

State

Place

Golghar

British Govt.

Bihar

Patna

Pathar Ki Masjid

Pervez Shah

Patna

Sher Shah’s Tomb

Mir Muhammad Aliwal Khan

Sasaram

Vishnupad Temple

Rani Ahilyabai

Gaya

Feroz Shah Kotla

Ferozshan Tughlaq

Delhi

Delhi

Humayun Tomb

Empress Bega Begum

Delhi

Jantar-Mantar

Sawai Jai Singh

Delhi

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Birla Family

Delhi

President House

British Govt.

Delhi

Safdarjung Tomb

Shuja-ud-daula

Delhi

Sabarmati Ashram

Mahatma Gandhi

Gujarat

Ahmadabad

Charar-E- Sharif

Zainul Abedin

Jammu and Kashmir

Budgam

Nishat Garden

Asaf Ali

Srinagar

Ajanta- Ellora Caves

Gupta rulers

Maharashtra

Aurangabad

Kanheri Fort

Buddhists

Mumbai

Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra

Qutubuddin Aibak

Rajasthan

Ajmer

Ajmer Sharif Dargah

Sultan Shyasuddin

Ajmer

Jodhpur Fort

Rao Jodha

Jodhpur

Makka Masjid

Quli Qutub Shah

Telangana

Hyderabad

Akbar Rsquo Tomb

Akbar

Uttar Pradesh

Sikandra

Sati Burj

Raja Bhagwan Das

Mathura

Belur Math

Swami Vivekananda

West Bengal

Kolkata

Victoria Memorial

British Govt.

Kolkata

Which State has the Most Famous Monuments of India?

The table below will help comprehend the total number of Indian monuments in each State.

  • The important monuments of India are designed and nurtured by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
  • To conclude, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of monuments (741), whereas Manipur has the lowest (1).

Indian State

Total Number of Famous Indian Monuments

Uttar Pradesh

741

Karnataka

506

Tamil Nadu

413

Madhya Pradesh

292

Maharashtra

285

Gujarat

203

Delhi

174

Rajasthan

163

West Bengal

133

Andhra Pradesh

129

Haryana

90

Odisha

78

Bihar

70

Jammu & Kashmir

56

Assam

55

Chhattisgarh

47

Uttarakhand

44

Himachal Pradesh

43

Punjab

33

Kerala

26

Goa

21

Ladakh

13

Jharkhand

12

Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu

12

Tripura

8

Telangana

8

Mizoram

8

Meghalaya

8

Arunachal Pradesh

5

Nagaland

4

Sikkim

3

Manipur

1

British Monuments of India

It is imperative to be familiar with the elementary facts about some British architectural structures built during the pre-Independence period of India. Below are the 6 monuments made by the British that possess immense value in the Indian record.

British Architectural Monuments of India

British Monuments

Built By

Relevance

Gateway of India

George Wittet

To monumentalize King George V’s arrival to India.

All India War Memorial Arch or India Gate

Edward Lutyens

A memorial built in Delhi to mark the demise of 70,000 Indian and British soldiers during World War I.

St. Mary’s Church

John Thompson

It is the oldest British monument of India (Chennai) and the most ancient Anglican church in South Asia.

Victoria Memorial

Sir William Emerson

It was created in remembrance of Queen Victoria.

Parliament House or House of Parliament

Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker.

It represents the highest legislative body in the country.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

Edward Lutyens

This monument of Delhi was the former dwelling of the British Viceroy.

Religious Monuments of India

India is a diverse nation, and religion plays an influential role in its culture. A mixture of beliefs exists in holy monuments. Here is a list of religious monuments in India that illuminate windows to the rich past of ancient India.

Name of Religious Monuments

Place

Built by in the year

Facts

Sanchi Stupa

Madhya Pradesh

Started by Ashoka in the 3rd Century, B.C.E.

Oldest stone temple in India that holds a unique model of Buddhist artistry and architecture.

Khajuraho

Madhya Pradesh

Built by Chandela dynasty between 900 to 1130 CE.

The Nagara style of architecture is devoted to Hinduism and Jainism gods.

Golden Temple

Punjab

Made in the 16th Century by Guru Ram Das.

It incorporates the Guru Granth Sahib, the most divine scripture of Sikhism.

Ellora Cave Temples

Maharashtra

Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (756-773 CE).

It exhibits 17 Hindu, 12 Buddhist, and 5 Jain caves and is an ideal form of rock-cut architecture in India.

Jama Masjid

New Delhi

Built by Shah Jahan in 1656 C.E.

It is the biggest mosque that can adjust 25,000 people. This Masjid is a mix of Hindu and Mughal architecture.

Mahabodhi Temple

Bihar

Built by Ashoka in 250 B.C.E.

Regarded as the oldest brick structure in India. It is a Buddhist place of worship where Lord Buddha acquired enlightenment.

Temple Architecture of India

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