Correction, 28 October 2026: The title and historical descriptions now distinguish UNESCO-listed properties from Chand Baori and correct earlier chronology and unsupported architectural claims.
India’s historic places include UNESCO World Heritage properties and other protected monuments. These five profiles distinguish the two: four entries belong to inscribed World Heritage properties, while Chand Baori is a historic stepwell outside that list.
Five heritage places in India, with their UNESCO status explained
1. Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa
Old Goa’s churches form the Churches and Convents of Goa World Heritage property, inscribed in 1986. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the monuments in this group.
UNESCO identifies the Basilica of Bom Jesus with 1605 and highlights its classical architectural orders and the tomb of St Francis Xavier. The group illustrates the development and spread of Christian art and architecture through Asia.
2. Chand Baori, Rajasthan
Chand Baori is a stepwell in Abhaneri, Rajasthan. Rajasthan Tourism dates it to the ninth century and describes its 3,500 narrow, symmetrical steps.
The stepwell was built to conserve water and provide relief from the heat, and it served as a community gathering place. It is not an inscribed UNESCO World Heritage property. The earlier claim about porous volcanic stones and a fixed temperature difference is not retained.
3. Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Madhya Pradesh
The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka became a UNESCO World Heritage property in 2003. They lie in the foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains in central India.
UNESCO describes five clusters of natural shelters within sandstone outcrops. Their rock paintings span the Mesolithic period through historical times, providing evidence of a long interaction between people and this landscape.
4. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park brings together remains from several periods, including prehistoric sites, a hill fortress and the remains of Gujarat’s sixteenth-century capital. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004.
The park includes fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential areas and water-management structures. It should not be described as a single monument built by a Mughal ruler in the tenth century.
UNESCO also highlights the Kalikamata Temple on Pavagadh Hill as an important pilgrimage shrine. The property represents a complex cultural landscape rather than one building with a single construction date.
5. Konark Sun Temple, Odisha
The Sun Temple at Konark, in Odisha, was built in the thirteenth century. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1984.
Its architecture represents the chariot of the sun god Surya, with twelve pairs of carved wheels. The sculptural decoration includes figures, musicians and scenes from contemporary life.
UNESCO identifies Konark as an important example of Kalingan temple architecture from the reign of Narasimha Deva I. Its monumental form and sculpture are central to the property’s cultural significance.
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