Historical Places In Gujarat & Best Heritage Monuments

Rani Ka Vav or 'Queen's Stepwell' is a unique stepwell located in Patan. It is a distinctive form of water resource and storage system and represents unique craftsmanship. Believed to be the grandest stepwell in Gujarat, Rani ka Vav was constructed from 1063 to 1068 AD by the widowed Queen Udaymati. The 900-year-old structure listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is displayed prominently in the new ₹ 100 currency note issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
Timings: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Laxmi Vilas Palace is one of the most majestic structures in India and was the private residence of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. It is known to be the largest private dwelling of the size equivalent to four times Buckingham Palace. It was constructed in 1890 and is still home to the royal family of Vadodara, the Gaekwads. The palace now houses a museum for the tourists.
Timings: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Closed on Mondays and public holidays)
Entry Fee: Palace fees: INR 150 Museum fees: INR 60

Known as a remarkable excavation site during the Indus Valley Civilization, Dholavira was one of the most developed cities roughly 4500 years ago. It was a flourishing Harappan site between 2650 and 1450 BCE. It is presently an archaeological site in Khadirbet of Kutch Gujarat.
Timings: 10am–5pm
Entry Fee: Free
Best Time To Visit: Oct-Mar

Best Time: October to March

1 Dholavira Attractions

Modhera is an ancient village in Gujarat, famed for housing the remains of the Sun Temple built by the Chalukya dynasty. The Sun Temple is the ruins of an ancient temple devoted to the Sun God Surya. The architecture of the temple is very intricate and detailed and is reflective of the Maru-Gujara Chalukyan style.
Timings: 24 hours
Entry Fee: Free

Adalaj Stepwell is a magnificent structure built brilliantly to curb the water crisis in and around Adalaj Village. The stepwell was built in 1498. Walk in, and you will witness a sudden yet soothing drop in temperature. The ceiling of the stepwell has an opening that allows the entry of light and air into the premises of the octagonal structure. Also, out of the step wells in Gujarat, it is the only one with three entrance stairs.
Timings: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Located at a distance of around 85 kms from Ahmedabad, Lothal is a popular Indus Valley Site and a 4500 years old city discovered in 1954. Even though the place is not as thriving as it once used to be, the magic of the ruins is enough to tell you the colourful tales about the lives of the people who were inhabitants of this place. Lothal is popular among geologists, historians and archaeologists.
Timings: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Closed on Friday
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee

Dwarkadhish Temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir, is a Chalukya styled architecture, dedicated to Lord Krishna. The town of Dwarka has its history dated back to the Kingdom of Dwaraka in Mahabharata. The 2200-year-old architecture is believed to be built by Vajranabha, who constructed it over the land reclaimed from the sea by Lord Krishna.
Timings : 6:00 AM - 1:00 PM , 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Entry Fee : No entry fee

Situated in the village of Makarba, 7 kms from Ahmedabad, Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex. Bosting of absolutely striking early Islamic architectural finesse with spacious corridors and pillared domes, and surrounded by a mesmerising water tank, the tomb houses the grave of Ahmad Khattu Ganj Baksh (the former resident of the place).

Also known as the Mausoleum of Bahaduddnbhai Hasainbhai, this place is a mausoleum. It houses the tombs of Mohabbat khanji and Bahaduddin Hasainbhai and it was built in the late 19th century. It is a unique example of Indo-Islamic and Gothic architecture.
Timings: 24 hrs
Entry Fee: Free

The Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple is the first of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva. One of the oldest temples of the country, it has been mentioned in ancient texts like Shreemad Bhagavat Gita, Skandpuran, Shivpuran and Rig-Veda. It attracts millions of devotees all throughout the year.
Timings: Darshan timing- 6:00 AM - 9:30 PM,
Arati timing- 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 7:00 PM,
Light and sound show- 7:45 PM
Entry Fee: Light and sound show: INR 25, Half-ticket INR 15

Popularly known as Sidi Saiyyed Ni Jaali, the Sidi Saiyyed Mosque was built in 1573 and is one of the most popular and beautiful mosques located in Ahmedabad. This monument is among the last few mosques that were built under the Gujarat Sultanate and was completed in the last year of their reign before the Mughals invaded Gujarat and defeated them. 
Timings: 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Known For : Kalika Mata Temple Pavagadh Fort Jain Temples in Pavagadh

The Capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, Champaner is a historical city located in the Panchmahal district in Gujarat. The Archaeological Park comprises of umpteen number of splendid architectural wonders consisting of both Hindu & Islamic styles of design. The hill of Pavagadh is believed to be a chunk of the Himalayas that was originally carried by Hanuman to Lanka in the Ramayana epic. 
Timings: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Entry Fee: INR 30
Best Time To Visit: Oct-Feb

Best Time: October to February

8 Pavagadh Attractions

Prag Mahal is one of the architectural wonders in India, built in the 19th century. The grand palace boasts Gothic-style windows and Corinthian pillars around it. The foundation of this historic monument can be traced back through the history of Gujarat, to the time after the Britishers visited India and spread their influence all over to Bhuj. 
Timings: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Entry Fee: Entry: INR 20, Photography: INR 30, Videography: INR 100

Located en route to the Kalika Mata Temple, these Jain temples are believed to have been discovered and revered by Tolemi, the Greek geographer in 140 AD. Two prominent temples comprise the elaborate umbrella of the Pavagadh Tirth. Dedicated to Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan and Shri Chintamani Parshvanath Bhagwan, these temples are located on the hilltop and foothill of Pavagadh respectively.

Fort Diu, located on the Western coast of India, was built by the Portuguese during their colonial rule and is now under the administration of the Indian government. The enchanting fort commands a magnificent view of the sea, and a jetty constructed on the northwestern coast is still under use and was once used to trade with Cambay, Broach and Surat in Gujarat. 
Timings: Sunrise to Sunset
Entry Fee: Free

Once the residence of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba, Sabarmati Ashram is the site where Gandhiji started the famous Dandi March from. It is believed that Mahatma Gandhi chose this site for it is located between a prison and a cemetery and a Satyagrahi is likely to end up in one of these. Sabarmati Ashram has a number of other important structures located in its confines.
Timings: 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
Entry Fee: Free

The Aina Mahal palace, or 'Hall of Mirrors' was built during the flamboyant rule of Lakhpatji in the middle of the 18th century and is very beautiful. Aina Mahal was the royal palace of Rao Lakhpatji, popularly known as Lakhaji, the ruler of the Jadeja Rajput dynasty. It is at the northeast corner of Hamirsar lake, easily walkable from most of Bhuj. Inside, Aina Mahal is now a rich collection of art and archaic pieces.
Timings: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Entry Fee: Aaina Mahal: INR 10, Photography: INR 30

Kirti Mandir was built in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi in Porbandar. The ancestral house of Mahatma Gandhi is located right beside the temple. The temple was built to mark the release of Mahatma Gandhi in 1944. The 73-year-old structure stands strong adorning the National Flag and the signs of the times gone by before and after India's Independence.
Timings: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Located at the walled city of Ahmedabad, the 44 acre-Bhadra fort was built in 1411 by Ahmed Shah I, the walling is said to have been established to protect the Gujarat Sultanate, reigned by Ahmed Shah I at the time. This red stone fort located along the Sabarmati river is also an important venue for significant events such as the Republic Day and Independence Day of the country. 
Timings: All days of the week: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Uperkot is the upper citadel located in the east of Junagadh. Over 2300 years old, with walls up to 20m high in some places, there used to be a 300 ft. deep moat inside the walls which reportedly used to be inhabited by crocodiles for the fort's protection. Neelam and Manek, forged in Cairo and brought by the Turks are the two major tourist attractions in the fort. Also, make sure to see the step-wells and caves at this historic monument.
Timings: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Entry Fee: Free

Jhuta Minar is one of the most intriguing architectural wonders of the world. They are still an unsolvable mystery. What makes the minarets unique is if one of the minarets is shaken then the other minaret shakes within a few seconds, while the connecting passage doesn't transmit any movements or vibrations. Many architects and historians have tried to understand the physics and logic behind the unrelated movements of the minarets. 
Timings: 5:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Entry Fee: No entry fee