Sarnath recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Home News India India now has 45 World Heritage Sites according to the UNESCO website. The last addition or ‘inscription’ was in 2024, with the Maratha Military Landscapes located Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.Updated - July 27, 2026 11:37 am IST Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh has become a UNESCO World Heritage site, as announced by the UN grouping in Busan, South Korea, as part of the the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea on July 25, 2026. India’s Ministry of Culture, in a press release, said that “this global accolade celebrates India’s enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity” and highlighted the importance of the Buddhist site.India’s other UNESCO world heritage sitesThe country now has 45 World Heritage Sites according to the UNESCO website. The last addition or ‘inscription’ was in 2024, with the Maratha Military Landscapes located Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.Here’s the full list:UNESCO World Heritage Site Year of inclusion in listLocationAgra Fort1983Agra, Uttar PradeshAjanta Caves1983Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), MaharashtraEllora Caves1983Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), MaharashtraTaj Mahal1983Agra, Uttar PradeshGroup of Monuments at Mahabalipuram1984Chengalpattu district, Tamil NaduSun Temple, Konârak1984Puri district, OdishaKaziranga National Park1985Golaghat and Nagaon districts, AssamKeoladeo National Park1985Bharatpur, RajasthanManas Wildlife Sanctuary1985AssamChurches and Convents of Goa1986Velha Goa, GoaFatehpur Sikri1986Agra district, Uttar PradeshGroup of Monuments at Hampi1986Vijayanagara district, KarnatakaKhajuraho Group of Monuments1986Chhatarpur district, Madhya PradeshElephanta Caves1987Gharapuri (Mumbai Harbour), MaharashtraGreat Living Chola Temples1987Thanjavur, Darasuram & Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamil NaduGroup of Monuments at Pattadakal1987Bagalkot district, KarnatakaSundarbans National Park1987South 24 Parganas, West BengalNanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks1988Chamoli district, UttarakhandBuddhist Monuments at Sanchi1989Raisen district, Madhya PradeshHumayun's Tomb, Delhi1993New Delhi, DelhiQutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi1993New Delhi, DelhiMountain Railways of India1999Darjeeling (West Bengal), Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu), Kalka-Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya2002Gaya district, BiharRock Shelters of Bhimbetka2003Raisen district, Madhya PradeshChampaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park2004Panchmahal district, GujaratChhatrapati Shivaji Terminus2004Mumbai, MaharashtraRed Fort Complex2007Old Delhi, DelhiThe Jantar Mantar, Jaipur2010Jaipur, RajasthanWestern Ghats2012Spread across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil NaduHill Forts of Rajasthan2013Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Jaipur & Jaisalmer, RajasthanGreat Himalayan National Park Conservation Area2014Kullu district, Himachal PradeshRani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat2014Patan, GujaratArchaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara2016Nalanda district, BiharKhangchendzonga National Park2016SikkimThe Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement2016Corbusier ChandigarhHistoric City of Ahmadabad2017Ahmedabad, GujaratVictorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai2018Mumbai, MaharashtraJaipur City, Rajasthan2019Jaipur, RajasthanDholavira: a Harappan City2021Kutch district, GujaratKakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana2021Mulugu district, TelanganaSacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas2023Belur, Halebidu & Somnathapura, KarnatakaSantiniketan2023Birbhum district, West BengalMoidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty2024Charaideo district, AssamMaratha Military Landscapes of India2025Maharashtra and Tamil NaduAncient Buddhist Site of Sarnath2026Varanasi, Uttar PradeshUNESCO World Heritage List: Criteria for inclusionTo be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, a property must demonstrate ‘outstanding universal value’ and meet at least one of these ten criterias:1. Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius2. Exhibit an important interchange of human values over a span of time or within a cultural area, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design.3. Bear a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or a civilization that is living or has disappeared4. Be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape that illustrates a significant stage (or stages) in human history.5. Be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment (especially when vulnerable under irreversible change).6. Be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, ideas, beliefs, or artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.7. Contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.8. Be outstanding examples representing major stages of Earth’s history, including the record of life, ongoing geological processes in landform development, or significant geomorphic/physiographic features.9. Be outstanding examples representing ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.10. Contain the most significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of Outstanding Universal Value. Published - July 27, 2026 11:36 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products