Heritage is a valuable blend of culture, tradition, and historical things inherited from the past, preserved in the present, and passed on to future generations. In this context, India, one of the most culturally rich countries in the world, has a lot of heritage to carry forward. This is why people from different countries travel to the UNESCO Sites in India, which are recognized for their profound heritage.

The specialty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

As a service to humankind, UNESCO, the UN’s Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, aims to identify and preserve such heritage properties worldwide. Irrespective of the territory, UNESCO heritage sites belong to and inspire all the people across the globe. Every property belongs to one of the three categories: cultural, natural, or mixed.

The latest list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tamil Nadu

As per the latest list by UNESCO, there are forty-three properties or sites in India, of which two to four are part of Tamil Nadu.

1. Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

Inscribed in 1984, this UNESCO site is located along the Coromandel coast of Chingleput district in Tamil Nadu. Established by the Pallava Kings between the 6th and 9th centuries, these monuments, including the temples, rock reliefs, mandapaas, and rathaas, were carved from rocks, depicting chariots, with thousands of Lord Shiva’s sculptures. The four criteria that acclaimed this group of monuments as a UNESCO site include:

• a human-made masterpiece
• developments in architecture
• associated with the living traditions, beliefs, and arts of Pallavas
• unique testimony to cultural, tradition, or civilization

Undoubtedly, tourists looking for historical places in Tamilnadu can visit these masterpieces by the people of the Pallava civilization.

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2. Great Living Chola Temples

Inscribed in 1987, this UNESCO site stands as the epitome of architectural developments and advancements by the Chola dynasty. Established in the 9th century, this site encapsulates three living temples—the Brihadisvara at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara at Gangaikondacholapuram, and the Airavatesvara at Darasuram. The two criteria for selecting this as an exemplary heritage site by UNESCO include:

• Outstanding architectural conception
• a distinct example of the Chola civilization

No tourist operator or agent will miss adding these temples to your cultural tourism itinerary in Tamilnadu.

These are the two major UNESCO cultural heritage sites in Tamil Nadu. However, later UNESCO added the mountain railways of India and the hilly chain of Western Ghats to the list in 1999 and 2012 respectively. Certainly, parts of these two sites, such as the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Nilgiri/Anamalai/Podhigai Hills (Western Ghats), are covered in the Tamil Nadu region.

Both of them fall under the natural category for their biodiversity, and hence these are considered when discussing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tamilnadu.

3. Mountain Railways of India

This is a collection of three mountain railways in India, namely:

• Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (6 zigzag reverses and 3 loops)
• Kalka Shimla Railway (world’s longest tunnel)
• Nilgiri Mountain Railway (unique rack & pinion traction)

4. Western Ghats

These sites are almost a mix of natural and cultural spots. It covers hills, plateaus, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, reserved forests, and the culture of the people in these localities.

• Northern Western Ghats (Sahyadri Hills)
• Central Western Ghats (Kudremukh and Niligiri Hills)
• Southern Western Ghats (Anamalai Hills and Malabar Coastal Hills)

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Nilgiris a World Heritage Site?

• Yes, the Nilgiri mountain range of Western Ghats, with 24 peaks, is located in the northwestern region of Tamil Nadu and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the name of Western Ghats of India.

2. How many world heritage sites are there in Tamil Nadu?

• There are two cultural heritage sites and two natural heritage sites in Tamil Nadu. The cultural ones are living Chola temples and the Mahabalipuram monuments. The natural ones are the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

3. What is the rich heritage of Tamil Nadu?

• Of course, the first site—the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram—is renowned as the rich heritage site of Tamil Nadu. However, the Great Living Chola Temples are not any lesser.