Historical places in India you need to visit

India is one of the very few countries, that has a rich history behind it. India was always admired by travelers around the world for its historic nature. What makes it even more beautiful is the diversity that India has due to its welcoming culture. People in India take immense pride in the rich heritage of their country. If you are a history buff and want to try the taste of Indian history, then set yourself while we take a look at the best Historical places in India

Top 5 Historical Places in India to visit

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal is considered as the epitome of love, which was built by Shah Jahan for his late wife Mumtaz. This is a complete marble structure, it took around 22 years to complete this white marvel. One tragic fact for all the history lovers out there – According to the local people, it is believed that Shah Jahan cut off the hands of all the workers who took part in building this magnificent structure to make sure that a monument similar to its standard cannot be built. 

According to the local people, it is said that the hands of all the workers who built were cut off by Shah Jahan so that a similar monument could not be built.

Entry fees are collected at the entrance for people to enter. For Indians, this would be around Rs.40 and for the people from the other parts of the world are charged Rs.1000. Children below 15 yrs of age are not allowed to visit this monument. This is open on all days of the week except Fridays. Not to forget the night time shows of Taj Mahal, a perfect end to the evening.

The Tanjore Big Temple: Historical places in India

How can I not mention this phenomenal work of Art by the Tamil Emporer Rajendra Chozha after being a native Tamil speaker? The Chozha dynasty is renowned for its stunning architecture and the culture they spread across people. This is the best example I can think of to showcase their love for Architecture. This is located in the southern part of India.

Till date, nobody has ever found a concrete theory on how people managed to pull off something like this way back in 1010 CE and it just took 30 years for them to complete, while scientists around the world predict that it should take at least 50 years with all the technology we have today. This shows that the Tamil people were the pioneers in architecture even before the world knew that science can be used in architecture.

None of the raw materials used to build this temple was found in and around 80 km, they had to transport each and every raw material and they did it with the help of elephants. Most of the carvings on the walls were decoded and found to be the names of all the workers who were a part of this absolute masterpiece. Some were the equations used in the planning of this monument.

You’ll be shocked to see the relationship between the equations used to build this monument and the total number of letters in the Tamil language, the oldest language on the planet earth, that is still in use. I’m sure no one would ever dare to try building one such masterstroke. The crown of the temple called the Bindam is a massive 80 tons of single granite stone and it is at a height of 216fts from the ground. Words can’t explain this thing, you have to see it to understand it. Attaching a photo of this marvel is the max I could do about it. 

There is an entrance fee of 50 bucks and an additional 30 bucks if you want to take a camera with you. This is not just for the people who love history, also for the people who get fascinated by science. You can’t see one anywhere else in the whole world!

Agra Fort

Mughals ruled India in the 16th century and they left behind this beautiful fort for the future generations to get a sense of their rich history. The Agra Fort is one of the famous places in India that was built using red sandstone. Built by Akbar, this historical tourist place is an ancient city of gateways, courts, passages, palaces, and mosques. It has two gates, 1. Amar Singh gate and Delhi gate.

The entry through the Amar Singh gate is only allowed. Through which one can get access to this city. Would you be blown away if I say that this fort was featured in one of Sherlock Holmes cases: “Sign of the Four”.

Entrance fees of Rs.40 for Indians and Rs.550 for foreigners are collected. And you shouldn’t miss a few below-mentioned places.

Red Fort, Delhi

This again is a fort built by the Muslim emperor Shah Jahan. It was constructed over a period of 10 years from 1638 to 1648. This was constructed when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. And today this is where the President gives his speech on Independence day. This is an octagonal fort made of Limestone and it was actually white. When the Limestone started chipping off the British painted it red.

Entrance fees of Rs.10 for Indians and Rs. 250 for foreigners are collected. This is closed on Mondays. Except for Monday, this operates between 9.30 am- 4.30 pm. Rang Mahal is a must-visit in this fort.

Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Aurangabad: Historical places in India

This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning this showpiece of true craftsmanship skills when caves were carved by hand. When the English ruled India, an officer John Smith went on a tiger chase in 1819, but he never knew he was going to uncover the majestic Ajanta Caves. In total there are 29 Caves full of sculptures and paintings.

Until the caves of Ellora was found, no one knew this is a blend of 3 different religions. In total there are 34 caves at Ellora out of which 12 are Buddhist caves, 17 are Hindu caves and 5 are Jain caves. These caves were used for studying and praying.

Entrance fee of Rs.10 for Indians and Rs.250 for the foreigners are collected and there is no entrance fee on Fridays. It operates between 9 am to 5.30 pm. Ajanta and Ellora are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays respectively.

The ones on this list are not the only historic places in India, it has thousand more places like these, but the ones on the list are probably the most iconic places that one can visit in India for History. Traveling all the way from south India to Agra to just see Taj-Mahal doesn’t sound practical but these can be included in your Tour of North India. Need more information on these places? Love to customize? Head straight to Pickyourtrail and don’t forget to check out our guides page to understand the destination before you start planning.