Top Attractions | Chandigarh | India
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The Palace of Justice(Punjab and Haryana High Court)
Sports in The Open Hand's shadow
Pinjore Gardens
Statuettes at the Rock Garden
The Rose Garden
Sukhna Lake
  • 1 The Capitol Complex (Chandigarh Capitol Complex), Sector 1. Most of the capitol complex is fenced off due to tight security, the open hand is accessible and from there you can see the main buildings, albeit from a distance. If you want a closer look at the Capitol, you need to do a tour with the 1 Tourist Center daily at 10AM, noon and 3PM—you need to be there 20 min before. Note the capitol and bureau are only open on M-F. This is one of 17 worldwide works by the architect Le Corbusier to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Chandigarh Capitol Complex (Q25931399) on Wikidata Chandigarh Capitol Complex on Wikipedia
  • 2 Chandigarh Museum (Government Architecture Museum), Sector 10. This provides an interesting aspect on how Chandigarh was founded. It begins with the principles on which Chandigarh was built, selection of the Architects, the design for the people etc. The correspondence between the Punjabi officials overseeing the construction of the city, and the Federal Government in Delhi is fascinating, and well worth taking a few minutes to read. Close by is the Government Museum and Art Gallery as well as the Museum of Science and Natural History Museum.
  • 3 Elante Mall. Elante Mall at Chandigarh is among the largest malls in North India, covering 20 acres. It is a mixed use development project which includes entertainment, hotels and business. Elante Mall has a retail space of over 1 million square feet. across "ground level and three upper levels". In the retail area, Elante Mall hosts various national and some huge internal brands like Heckett London,Apple ( eStore..Powered by Beyond Computers), Marks & Spencer, Brook Brothers, Rolex, Harley Davidson, Promod etc. Elante boasts of a great food court, a wonderful courtyard full of cafes, sports bars and has various clothing brands. In the entertainment section Elante Mall has PVR cinemas for entertaining large crowds. Elante Mall (Q18124551) on Wikidata Elante Mall on Wikipedia
  • 4 The High Court (Punjab and Haryana High Court also: Capitol High Court). The letter is fine for looking around the High Court; just show it to security at the entrance, around the back, but if you want to take photos you need to surrender your camera, and head in to fill out some more forms in the protocol office, and then take the forms back to security to get your camera back. It’s worth it as the building is amazing, and extremely photogenic. You can’t take any photos indoors. Punjab and Haryana High Court (Q130502) on Wikidata Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wikipedia
  • 5 The Japanese Garden (Japani Garden). The Japanese Garden is a park in Sector 31 in union territory of Chandigarh. Built in 2014 in 13 acres of Land, by Indian Government, it was inaugurated by Shivraj Patil on 7th November 2014. It consists of water bodies, pagoda towers, water falls and golden bamboos. This is first ever garden in Chandigarh with Japanese touch and costs around ₹6 crore.
  • 6 The Legislative Assembly (Palace of Assembly). This is the Assembly for both Punjab and Haryana. It's easy to run out of time, so make sure you have a whole clear weekday to appreciate all the capitol buildings. Palace of Assembly (Q7126217) on Wikidata Palace of Assembly (Chandigarh) on Wikipedia
  • 7 Museum and Art Gallery (Government Museum and Art Gallery) (Sector 10). The museum and the combined art gallery is an interesting place to go to. Artefacts range form Harappan period relics to paintings and coins from different areas and time periods. The Art Gallery has good collections of ancient and modern Indian art. Fossils of the local dinosaurs found in the region are on show in the adjacent natural history museum. The buildings that the Museums and Art Gallery are housed in are attractive. Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh (Q3112812) on Wikidata Government Museum and Art Gallery on Wikipedia
  • 8 Pinjore Gardens. Also called Yadavindra Gardens, these are 20 km (12 mi) from Chandigarh and 15 km (9 mi) from Panchkula, on the Chandigarh-Shimla road. Taxis and buses ply regularly between Pinjore and Chandigarh. Pinjore lies on the foothills of the lower Shivalik ranges. The fascinating gardens in the Mughal style are one of the most popular picnic spots in the region. A mini zoo, plant nursery, Japanese garden, historic palaces and picnic lawns await visitors. Yadavindra Gardens (Q3763822) on Wikidata Pinjore Gardens on Wikipedia
  • 9 Rock Garden of Chandigarh (Nek Chand's Rock Garden). Daily 9AM–8PM, last ticket 7PM. In 1992, Nek Chand, a humble transport official, began to clear a little patch of jungle to make himself a small garden area. He set stones around the little clearing and before long had sculpted a few figures recycled from materials he found at hand. Gradually Nek Chand's creation developed and grew; before long it covered several acres and comprised hundreds of sculptures set in a series of interlinking courtyards. After his normal working day Chand worked at night, in total secrecy for fear of being discovered. When they did discover the garden, local government officials were thrown into turmoil. The creation was completely illegal, a development in a forbidden area. However, rather than demolishing the garden, they decided to give Nek Chand a salary so that he could concentrate full-time on his work, plus a workforce of fifty labourers. ₹30. Rock Garden of Chandigarh (Q3041915) on Wikidata Rock Garden of Chandigarh on Wikipedia
  • 10 Rose Garden (Zakir Hussain Rose Garden), Sector 16. The city houses the largest rose garden in Asia. It also hosts an annual rose festival which is quite popular among the local population. Zakir Hussain Rose Garden (Q8065112) on Wikidata Zakir Hussain Rose Garden on Wikipedia
  • 11 The Secretariat. You have to jump through some hoops to visit the Secretariat. First you need to find ‘Reception’, which is just a small building out the back, and show them your letter to get a visitor permit, then you need to see Security, who will let you in, then you need to see the main security officer inside, who will send you up to the Registrar, who will then send you back to the main security office. Thankfully you are escorted through most of this confusing, overly complex procedure, usually by a junior soldier with large machine gun. The whole process takes about 30 min to an hour. Once it’s all clear you can go up to the roof, check out the geranium gardens and take in an expansive view of all of Chandigarh. Then they will let you have a look out the front, which is more interesting. Secretariat Building (Q7444209) on Wikidata Secretariat Building (Chandigarh) on Wikipedia
  • 12 Sukhna Lake (Sector 1). Sukhna Lake is an artificial reservoir. A popular place to hang out, one can expect to find residents of the city jogging or strolling along the banks. There is a walking path, a cafeteria, shops and a mini-amusement park and paddleboats. Shikaras are also available. The Sukhna Lake was created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream that flows down from the Shivaliks. Storks and cranes make migratory stops at the lake. The lake, incidentally, has Asia's longest water channel for rowing and yachting. Visiting Sukhna Lake in the evening or early morning is a particularly pleasant experience. Sukhna Lake (Q7333197) on Wikidata Sukhna Lake on Wikipedia
  • International Dolls Museum, Bal Bhawan complex. The museum has a collection of more than 250 dolls and puppets from over 25 countries, including India, Japan, Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The dolls are made of a variety of materials such as wood, cloth, papier-mâché, and porcelain. The exhibits are arranged in various themes, such as fairy tales, Indian mythology and traditions, historical periods, and social causes.
  • National Gallery of Portraits, Sector 17, Chandigarh. It was set up in 1977 in the heart of Chandigarh. The Museum has a vibrant and varied collection of portraits, busts, sculpture, images, prints of rare documents, photos and paintings based on India’s struggle for Independence. It has a big rectangular half comprising of 41 information panels describing details of movements and conspiracies during long freedom struggle of India from British Rule.
  • Pierre Jeanneret Museum, 57, Uttar Marg, Sukhna Lake, Sector 5, Chandigarh, toll-free: 1800 180 2116. 10 am–6 pm. The house of Chandigarh's first Chief Architect, Pierre Jeanneret has been converted into a museum. The Swiss-born architect Pierre Jeanneret, a cousin of Le Corbusier, was instrumental in the design and development of the capital city of Chandigarh. The three bedrooms on first floor have been opened up as guest rooms. Rooms: ₹1,000 for Officers; ₹1,500 for Researchers, Scholars, Architect; ₹2,500 General Administration. Incl. breakfast.
  • Le Corbusier Centre, Sector 19B, Madhya Marg, ☏ +91 172 277 7077. 10AM-5PM daily though hours may differ on public holidays. The old Architect's office is one of the earliest buildings constituted in Chandigarh. The museum was a workplace of Le Corbusier and his team therefore, building is of immense historic value to Chandigarh. The modest structure of building may well be considered as a seminal attempt at introducing concepts of sustainability and green architecture in the architectural annals of modern India.
  • War Memorial, Bouganvillea Garden, Sector 3, Chandigarh. 5AM-9PM. The memorial is the largest post-Independence war memorial of the country with nearly 8459 names of deceased soldiers, since 1947 from the Army Air Force and Navy. The Place is designed to pay homage to the Jawans located in Bougainvillea garden. It was inaugurated by Late APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006. The walls of memorial are made from Pink Sandstone. It also has terrace like sitting area hence, makes a perfect place for Open Air theatre for conducting Light and Sound Show.
  • Bird Park, Sector 1. Hours vary seasonally. Opened in 2021, the Chandigarh Bird Park features enclosed aviaries containing aquatic and terrestrial birds, walking paths, and gardens. For an additional fee, you can have a parrot sit on your hand in one of the aviaries. 30-100₹.