Monuments: Spiritual Heart of India including Name, Location, Builder, Architectural Style, and Importance.
Monuments
| Monument/Place | Location | Builder/Patron | Architectural Style | Key Features / Importance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taj Mahal | Agra, Uttar Pradesh | Shah Jahan | Mughal | White marble mausoleum built for Mumtaz Mahal; UNESCO site |
| Agra Fort | Agra, Uttar Pradesh | Akbar (modified by Shah Jahan) | Mughal | Fort complex; blend of red sandstone and white marble |
| Qutub Minar | Delhi | Qutb-ud-din Aibak (completed by Iltutmish) | Indo-Islamic | Victory tower; red sandstone and marble; UNESCO site |
| Humayun’s Tomb | Delhi | Hamida Banu Begum (wife of Humayun) | Persian + Indian (Mughal) | Garden tomb; precursor to Taj Mahal; UNESCO site |
| Fatehpur Sikri | Agra, Uttar Pradesh | Akbar | Mughal | Planned city with palaces, mosques; UNESCO site |
| Hawa Mahal | Jaipur, Rajasthan | Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh | Rajput + Mughal | Red-pink sandstone palace with 953 windows |
| Golden Temple | Amritsar, Punjab | Guru Arjan Dev Ji | Sikh + Indo-Islamic | Holiest Sikh shrine; golden dome on sacred pool |
| India Gate | Delhi | Edwin Lutyens (British Raj) | Indo-European (Triumphal arch) | War memorial for Indian soldiers of WWI |
| Red Fort | Delhi | Shah Jahan | Mughal | Walled fort; center of Mughal power; UNESCO site |
| Konark Sun Temple | Odisha | King Narasimhadeva I (Eastern Ganga) | Kalinga (Nagara style) | Stone chariot temple dedicated to Sun god; UNESCO site |
| Elephanta Caves | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Rashtrakutas (developed earlier by locals) | Rock-cut | Hindu (Shaivite) sculptures; Trimurti; UNESCO site |
| Ajanta Caves | Aurangabad, Maharashtra | Satavahana & Vakataka rulers | Rock-cut Buddhist | Murals and frescoes; UNESCO site |
| Ellora Caves | Aurangabad, Maharashtra | Rashtrakuta dynasty | Rock-cut | Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments; Kailasa Temple; UNESCO site |
| Hampi Monuments | Vijayanagara, Karnataka | Vijayanagara Empire | Dravidian + Indo-Islamic | Palaces, temples, markets; UNESCO site |
| Mysore Palace | Mysuru, Karnataka | Wodeyar Dynasty | Indo-Saracenic | Royal palace with stained glass and domes |
| Khajuraho Temples | Madhya Pradesh | Chandela dynasty | Nagara (North Indian temple) | Erotic and symbolic sculptures; UNESCO site |
| Shalimar Bagh | Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir | Emperor Jahangir | Mughal garden | Terraced garden on Persian charbagh plan |
| Gateway of India | Mumbai, Maharashtra | British Raj (George V’s visit) | Indo-Saracenic | Stone arch; symbol of colonial and maritime entry |
| Jama Masjid | Delhi | Shah Jahan | Mughal | Largest mosque in India; white marble and red sandstone |
| Gol Gumbaz | Bijapur, Karnataka | Mohammed Adil Shah | Indo-Islamic + Deccan Sultanate | Tomb with one of the world’s largest domes; whispering gallery |
| Rani ki Vav | Patan, Gujarat | Queen Udayamati | Maru-Gurjara (Stepwell) | Stepwell with intricate carvings; UNESCO site |
| Victoria Memorial | Kolkata, West Bengal | British Empire (Lord Curzon) | Indo-Saracenic + British | Museum and memorial to Queen Victoria |
| Sanchi Stupa | Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh | Emperor Ashoka | Buddhist (Stupa) | Oldest stone structure; relics of Buddha; UNESCO site |
| Chola Temples | Tamil Nadu | Chola dynasty | Dravidian | Brihadeshwara, Gangaikonda, Airavatesvara Temples; UNESCO sites |
| Meenakshi Temple | Madurai, Tamil Nadu | Nayaka rulers (originally Pandya) | Dravidian | Colorful gopurams; dedicated to Meenakshi and Sundareshwar |
| Charminar | Hyderabad, Telangana | Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah | Indo-Islamic | Iconic four-minaret gateway; built during plague relief |
| Jantar Mantar | Jaipur, Rajasthan | Maharaja Jai Singh II | Astronomical (Rajput innovation) | Instruments to study astronomy; UNESCO site |
| Nalanda University Ruins | Bihar | Gupta and Pala dynasties | Buddhist monastic architecture | Ancient university and learning center; UNESCO site |
| Mahabalipuram Monuments | Tamil Nadu | Pallava dynasty (Narasimhavarman I) | Dravidian + Rock-cut | Shore temple, rathas, reliefs; UNESCO site |
| Chittorgarh Fort | Rajasthan | Maurya and Sisodia Rajputs | Rajput Fort | Largest fort in India; symbol of Rajput pride and sacrifice |
| Ranthambore Fort | Rajasthan | Chauhans, later Mughals | Rajput | Within Ranthambore National Park; UNESCO site |
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