India has a rich cultural, and architectural history alongside the nation has dominated the ancient world for an excessive amount of time. A few of the most significant religions in the world have their roots in India as well. These religions have left their footprints in form of various architectural structures that have been known for the centuries and are still in the limelight of the nation. The 10 historical monuments of India have been discussed in this article and they are namely.

Taj Mahal, Agra- Historical Monuments of India

Taj Mahal, a UNESCO-recognized mausoleum in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, built of ivory-white marble along the bank of the Yamuna River, is a popular tourist attraction. This enormous monument was built in between 1631 to 1648 as a tribute to Mumtaz Mahal, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s favoured wife. The mausoleum complex spans 17 hectares (42 acres). It is surrounded by wonderfully mixed Indo-Persian-style formal gardens and has a crenellated wall on three sides. With a concentration on bilateral symmetry along a central axis where the main features are situated, the Taj Mahal is symmetrically planned.

Qutub Minar, Delhi

The Lal Kot, the earliest fortified city in Delhi constructed by the Tomar Rajputs, is home to the Qutb Minar, a minaret and “victory tower” that is a component of the Qutb complex. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Qutb Minar is the highest brick minaret in the world, at 72.5 metres (239 feet) high with a shaft fluted with “superb stalactite bracketing under the balconies” at the top of each tier. The building was modelled by the Afghan Minaret of Jam, a piece of Indo-Islamic architecture with intricately painted surfaces embellished with geometric patterns and inscriptions.

Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

The Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra, India, not far from Aurangabad, are one of the best examples of ancient rock-cut caves. The multireligious Ellora caverns are a group of rock-cut caverns with writing that dates back to at least the sixth century CE. Due to its amazing architecture, the Ellora Caves in ancient India were included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983. The caverns’ beautiful sculptures served to establish it as a prominent industrial hub in the Deccan despite serving as Hindu and Jain temples.

Khajuraho Temples, Madhya Pradesh

The Hindu and Jain temples that make up the Khajuraho Group of Monuments in Madhya Pradesh, India, were built between 885 and 1000 CE by the Chandela dynasty. The Nagara-style architecture of the temples, which includes a sanctum, a narrow ante-chamber (antarala), a transept (mahamandapa), additional halls (ardha mandapa), a mandapa or nave, and an ambulatory route (Pradakshina-path) illuminated by enormous windows, is renowned for its symbolism. The temples are decorated with several sculptures that feature intricate workmanship, traditional Indian symbolism, and expressiveness.

Meenakshi Temple, Madurai 

Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple built in 17th century,  that can be seen in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, on the Vaigai River’s southern bank. Two three-story and two one-story gold-gilded sanctuary towers, as well as two three-story and four nine-story gopurams (outer, raja) make up the temple complex. The temples is inspired from Dravidian architecture, with sculptures, murals and gopurams. Of these five, two lead to the Sundareshvara shrine and three to the Meenakshi shrine. The west tower (gopuram) of the temple served as the inspiration for the design of the Tamil Nadu State Emblem.

Red Fort Delhi

In the middle of the 17th century, the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built Delhi, India’s Red Fort. The area received the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2007. The fort is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, and it was built by architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori. With a tiny amount of red stone as well, marble makes up the majority of the fort’s structure. The asymmetrical octagonal shape of the structure is created by a combination of turrets, bastions, pavilions, two gateways, and other elements.

Hampi, Karnataka

In the south Indian state of Karnataka sits the historic village of Hampi. Numerous Vijayanagara Empire temple complexes in ruins can be seen all over the place. The ancient city of Karnataka’s Hampi was entirely constructed using burned bricks and local granite set in lime mortar. Although it is widely acknowledged that Hampi’s architecture was influenced by and resembles Indo-Islamic architecture, some buildings also show Dravidian architectural influences. In front of the enormous Vittala Temple site is a carved stone chariot. Indian sloth bears reside at the Daroji Bear Sanctuary, which is southeast of Hampi.

Mysore Palace, Karnataka

In Mysore, Karnataka, India, there is one of the historical monuments of India and royal dwelling (house) called Mysore Palace, also called Amba Vilas Palace. The palace faces the Chamundi Hills to the east and is located in the heart of Mysore. Mysore Palace was constructed in the Indo-Saracenic architectural style with elements of Hindu, Mughal, Rajput, and Gothic design. Fine grey granite was utilised to construct the three-story palace and a 145-foot, five-story tower, while deep pink marble was used to construct the domes. The current building was built between 1897 and 1912, following the destruction of the Old Palace by fire.

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha

The Sun Temple, a 13th-century temple in Konark, Odisha, India, was greatly influenced by ancient Kalinga or Odisha architectural style. The main entrance of the temple receives morning sun illumination because of its precise eastward inclination. Two enormous stone lions that serve as decorations stand on either side of the main entryway. A man and an elephant are portrayed being crushed under these two lions. Even though a large portion of the temple is now in ruins, the architecture and remaining portions are renowned for their rich iconography, themes, and artwork, displaying sensual kama and mithuna motifs.

Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

The Victoria Memorial is a huge white marble building in Kolkata. It was built between 1906 and 1921 as a love offering to Queen Victoria by the British government. The building’s design is in the Indo-Saracenic revivalist style, blending elements of British and Mughal architecture with Venetian, Egyptian, and Deccani influences. The building is 184 feet (56 metres) tall, with a base dimension of 338 by 228 feet (103 by 69 metres). Currently a museum operated by the Ministry of Culture and is the biggest memorial to a monarch anywhere in the world.

Conclusion

To conclude, the above mentioned are the numerous architectural marvels in India, have always been in limelight with, that have been gathering the tourist attraction for hundreds of years. These marvellous structures have long-life history which is hidden in the roots. These architectural structures have rich culture and historical significance all over the world.