Famous Monuments of North India: Know the List of Monuments along with their History!

India is a culturally diverse country with a rich heritage and a deep-rooted history. The several invasions, and 200 years of British rule, have left India with a whole lot of monuments that have now become the gateway to the history of the bygone era. Of all the beautiful, lavish, and famous monuments of India, the most unusual and greatest works of art are found in North Indian monuments. The Famous Monuments of North India are spread across Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, etc, each with a different range of style, and historical importance. Knowing about the famous monuments is important especially if you are appearing for any competitive exam which has General Knowledge as a core subject. 

So here is a comprehensive list of the  Great Monuments of North India, each with a brief description and history of its own! So, go ahead and read this article to satisfy your history soul!

List of Famous Monuments of North India: Brief History and Description

Before we produce the list for you, let us understand the architecture of these Great Monuments of North India. Most of the monuments located in North India are revered for their Nagara style of architecture. However, each monument exhibits a unique blend of different styles and cultures. The heritage sites of North India can be divided into various categories like historical monuments, religious monuments, and archaeological monuments. Listed below is a list of great monuments of North India.

Taj Mahal, Agra

The most famous, revered, and of course one of the most beautiful monuments of North India is the Taj Mahal. Located on the south bank of River Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra, the monument is a love poem cast in marble. The history of this great monument dates back to 1631 AD when its foundation was laid by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. 

Mumtaz Mahal is said to have died giving birth to their 14th child, the monument was built by the Emperor as a testament to their love. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete the enchanting mausoleum which took almost 17 years to complete (1631 AD -1648 AD). One of the famous tales related to the monument is that the Emperor had cut off the hands of the artisans who built the monument so that there could be no other monument as beautiful as this one!

Qutub Minar, Delhi

The tallest minaret in the world, the Qutub Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Delhi. The monument exhibits the Indo-Islamic style of architecture and is 72.5 meters high with 399 steps that lead to the top. The foundation of the monument was laid by 

Qutabuddin Aibak IN 1199 AD. The foundation of the monument was for the use of Muazzin (crier) to give calls for prayer. Thereafter more storeys were added by his successors.

The minaret is made of red sandstone and covered with intricate carvings including verses from the Quran. Besides the minor, the Qutub complex also houses a group of monuments such as the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque of Qutbuddin Aiba, the Tomb of Iltutmish, the Alai Minar, and the Alai Darwaza.

Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden temple is one of the most famous monuments of North India and has a religious significance. The temple was founded by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das. The dome of the temple is wrapped in gold leaf and is the seat of the sacred Guru Granth Sahib.  

The work of the temple was started by Guru Ram Das and was completed by his son and successor Guru Arjan Dev. It was in 1802 that the town got incorporated under the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who donated extensively to its gold exterior. The monument is a rich cultural heritage and exudes the Sikh philosophy to its fullest.

Jama Masjid, Delhi

A congregational mosque in Delhi, the Jama Masjid is the largest and most glorious mosque in India. An architectural marvel, the foundation of the mosque was laid by Shah Jahan in the year 1656 AD. It involved five thousand craftsmen to build this mosque which has a unique blend of Indo-Islamic architecture.

 The mosque has three gateways, four towers, and two minarets. It is designed with vertical strips of red sandstone and white marbles. The mosque has the capacity of holding 25,000 devotees and is also known as Masjid-I-Jahanuma meaning ‘mosque commanding view of the world’.

Kangra Fort, Himachal Pradesh

Nestled in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, the Kangra fort is possibly the oldest fort in the country. The fort is situated at a distance of 20 km from the town of Dharamshala. The fort was built by a royal Rajput family of Kangra, known as the Katoch dynasty. The fort is considered to be one of the most beautiful forts in the country. However, the fort was conquered and possessed firstly it was captured by Mahmud of Ghazni and then in 1337 by Muhammad Bin Tughluq. 

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

One of the famous monuments of North India is the Badrinath Temple. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu which is nestled in Garhwal hill tracks along the banks of the Alaknanda River in Chamoli district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The temple is considered one of the holiest Hindu sites referred to as “Char Dham”

Although there is no historical record about the temple, there is a mention of the presiding deity in Vedic scriptures. As per the records, the temple was a Buddhist shrine till the 8th century and later Adi Shankaracharya converted it to a Hindu temple. It is believed that Adi Shankaracharya resided in the place for 6 years from 814 to 820 AD. Lord Vishnu sat in meditation at this place,  according to the Hindu legend.

Sheesh Mahal, Patiala

Located in the city of Patiala in the Indian state Punjab, the Sheesh Mahal is considered to be a telling tribute to the days of the royal Maharajas of Patiala. Sheesh Mahal, literally translates to the “Palace of Mirrors” in English. The elegantly designed glass and mirror work cover the palace completely. The foundation of this palace was laid in 1847 by the then Maharaja of Patiala, Narendra Singh. The mahal has a unique blend of European and Mughal styles of architecture.

Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu & Kashmir

One of the great monuments of North India with a religious significance is the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir. Revered as the Mata Rani’, ‘Trikuta’, and ‘Vaishnavi’, the temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Shakti. It is one of the most visited temples in North India, which is located at an elevation of 5200 feet above sea level. The temple is maintained by the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Key Takeaways

We hope our article on the famous monuments of North India was insightful and informative. Knowing about the famous monuments is important especially if you are appearing for any competitive exam which has General Knowledge as a core subject. 

So if you are preparing for any such competitive government exam, do not forget to visit the below links- 

Famous Monuments of South India	AP ECET Exam Date
Mistakes to Avoid while Preparing for CUET	IBPS PO Exam

Famous Monuments of North India FAQs