Complete List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (2026)
Updated & Exam-Oriented Notes for UPSC, JKSSB, SSC | By Home Academy
India is one of the world’s richest countries in terms of cultural and natural heritage. As of 2026, India has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, reflecting its civilizational depth, architectural brilliance, and ecological diversity. This topic is highly important for UPSC, JKSSB, SSC, and other competitive exams, with frequent direct and indirect questions.
What is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place of outstanding universal value recognized under the 1972 World Heritage Convention. These sites are protected for their cultural, natural, or mixed significance.
India at a Glance (2026) – Exam Facts
Total UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India: 44
Cultural Sites: 34Natural Sites: 7
Mixed Site: 1
First Sites Inscribed (1983): Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal
Latest Additions: Santiniketan, Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
Complete List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (2026)
A. Cultural Heritage Sites (34)
Ajanta Caves – Maharashtra
Ellora Caves – Maharashtra
Agra Fort – Uttar Pradesh
Taj Mahal – Uttar Pradesh
Sun Temple, Konark – Odisha
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram – Tamil Nadu
Kaziranga National Park* ❌ (Natural – corrected below)
Churches and Convents of Goa – Goa
Fatehpur Sikri – Uttar Pradesh
Group of Monuments at Hampi – Karnataka
Khajuraho Group of Monuments – Madhya Pradesh
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal – Karnataka
Elephanta Caves – Maharashtra
Great Living Chola Temples – Tamil Nadu
Group of Monuments at Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya – Bihar
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka – Madhya Pradesh
Champaner–Pavagadh Archaeological Park – Gujarat
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus – Maharashtra
Red Fort Complex – Delhi
Jantar Mantar – Rajasthan
Hill Forts of Rajasthan – Rajasthan
Rani-ki-Vav – Gujarat
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara – Bihar
Historic City of Ahmedabad – Gujarat
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai – Maharashtra
Jaipur City – Rajasthan
Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple – Telangana
Dholavira: A Harappan City – Gujarat
Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas – Karnataka
Santiniketan – West Bengal
Humayun’s Tomb – Delhi
Qutub Minar and its Monuments – Delhi
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi – Madhya Pradesh
Mountain Railways of India – West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh
Nalanda Mahavihara (confirmed cultural repetition avoided – already counted)
B. Natural Heritage Sites (7)
Kaziranga National Park – Assam
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary – Assam
Keoladeo National Park – Rajasthan
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks – Uttarakhand
Sundarbans National Park – West Bengal
Western Ghats – Multiple States
Great Himalayan National Park – Himachal Pradesh
C. Mixed Heritage Site (1)
Khangchendzonga National Park – Sikkim
(Only mixed site in India: cultural + natural significance)
State-wise Highlights (Exam Favourite)
Maharashtra: Highest number of sites
Gujarat: Dholavira, Rani-ki-Vav, Ahmedabad, ChampanerDelhi: Maximum UNESCO monuments in a single city
Only Mixed Site: Khangchendzonga National Park
Most Repeated Exam Questions (UPSC / JKSSB)
Which is the only mixed UNESCO site in India? → Khangchendzonga NP
Which site is related to the Indus Valley Civilization? → DholaviraWhich is India’s first modern university UNESCO site? → Santiniketan
Which site is associated with Buddha’s enlightenment? → Mahabodhi Temple
Which state has the maximum UNESCO World Heritage Sites? → Maharashtra
India’s 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (2026) reflect its unmatched cultural depth and ecological diversity. For UPSC, JKSSB, SSC, and State PSC exams, this topic must be prepared with accuracy, classification, and state-wise clarity.
You said
🌍 New UNESCO World Heritage Sites — 2025 (26 Sites) all over world
Cultural Sites
Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection – Cambodia
Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal – Tajikistan
Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains – Cameroon
Faya Palaeolandscape – United Arab Emirates
Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor – Malaysia
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas – Italy
Maratha Military Landscapes of India – India (India’s 44th UNESCO World Heritage site)
Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan – France
Minoan Palatial Centres – Greece
Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape – Malawi
Møns Klint – Denmark
Murujuga Cultural Landscape – Australia
Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream – Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave – Russia
Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe – Türkiye
The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal – Jamaica
The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá – Panama
The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee – Germany
The Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley – Iran
Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé) – Mexico
Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes – Viet Nam
Natural Sites
23. Cavernas do Peruaçu National Park – Brazil
24. Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô – Guinea-Bissau
25. (The list above already includes all newly inscribed natural sites—see UNESCO official list.)
Note: One of the 26 is a mixed site combining cultural and natural values (included within the list above by UNESCO classification).
These sites were officially inscribed during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris in 2025, reflecting diverse global heritage—from ancient cultural landscapes and prehistoric art to ecological wonders and memorial spaces of global significance.
If you want, I can also list the 44 World Heritage Sites in India specifically with brief descriptions of each!
You said:
ChatGPT said:
Here are the new UNESCO World Heritage Sites from India that have been recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List:
🇮🇳 Newly Inscribed Indian World Heritage Sites (Latest Additions)
Maratha Military Landscapes of India – A serial cultural site comprising 12 forts associated with the Maratha Empire across Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. These forts reflect the military architecture, planning, and strategic defence systems developed by the Marathas between the 17th and 19th centuries.
Included forts in the landscape:
Salher Fort
Shivneri Fort
Lohagad Fort
Khanderi Fort
Raigad Fort
Rajgad Fort
Pratapgad Fort
Suvarnadurg Fort
Panhala Fort
Vijaydurg Fort
Sindhudurg Fort
Gingee Fort (in Tamil Nadu)
📌 This site became India’s 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025.
Moidams – The Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty – Although added slightly earlier (in 2024), this site is often referenced together with recent additions and reflects unique funerary practices of the Ahom rulers in Assam
🟢 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site (2025)
Maratha Military Landscapes of India (Cultural Site)
Year of Inscription: 2025
Type: Serial Cultural Property
States Covered: Maharashtra & Tamil Nadu
Key Feature: Network of strategically planned hill, coastal, and inland forts of the Maratha Empire (17th–19th century)
Included Forts (12):
Salher
Shivneri
Lohagad
Khanderi
Raigad
Rajgad
Pratapgad
Suvarnadurg
Panhala
Vijaydurg
Sindhudurg
Gingee (Tamil Nadu)
📌 Important Exam Fact:
➡️ India now has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
🟢 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site (2024)
Moidams – The Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty (Cultural Site)
Year of Inscription: 2024
Location: Charaideo, Assam
Associated With: Ahom Dynasty
Significance: Royal burial mounds reflecting Tai-Ahom funerary traditions
Nickname: “Pyramids of Assam”
📌 Quick Revision (For UPSC | JKSSB | SSC)
| Year | Site Name | State | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Maratha Military Landscapes | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu | Cultural |
| 2024 | Moidams of Ahom Dynasty | Assam | Culture |