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Maharashtra Leads India With Seven UNESCO World Heritage Properties
Maharashtra has more UNESCO World Heritage properties than any other Indian state.
UNESCO lists seven properties connected with the state.
Five of them are completely inside Maharashtra.
Two others are shared across state borders.
These places include ancient caves, historic buildings, forts and the biodiverse Western Ghats.
The Ajanta and Ellora Caves are famous for their art and religious history.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Art Deco buildings show the city’s architectural past.
The newest entry is the Maratha Military Landscapes, added in 2025.
Maharashtra is associated with seven UNESCO World Heritage properties, the highest total among Indian states.
Five properties lie entirely within Maharashtra, while the Western Ghats and Maratha Military Landscapes are shared with other states.
Its sites include Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves, colonial-era architecture, natural landscapes and Maratha forts.
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India became India’s newest listed property in 2025 and includes 12 fortifications.
Rajasthan has five listed properties, followed by Tamil Nadu with four and Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka with three each.
- Who
- Maharashtra and UNESCO are central to the comparison of India’s World Heritage properties.
- What
- Maharashtra is identified as the Indian state associated with the most UNESCO World Heritage properties, with seven.
- Where
- The properties are in Maharashtra, including sites in Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district and the Western Ghats; some are shared with other states.
- When
- The properties were inscribed between 1983 and 2025; the Maratha Military Landscapes were added in 2025.
- Why
- Maharashtra’s total reflects its combination of cultural, architectural, natural and military heritage, including shared properties counted by state association.
Key facts
- Maharashtra’s total
- Seven UNESCO World Heritage properties are associated with Maharashtra.
- Fully located in the state
- Five of the seven properties are entirely within Maharashtra.
- Shared properties
- The Western Ghats and Maratha Military Landscapes are trans-state properties.
- India’s total
- UNESCO’s official list records 44 World Heritage properties for India.
- Newest listing
- The Maratha Military Landscapes of India was added in 2025.
- Maratha fortifications
- The Maratha Military Landscapes serial property includes 12 major fortifications, most in Maharashtra and one in Tamil Nadu.
- Closest state totals
- Rajasthan has five properties, Tamil Nadu four, and Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka three each.
Sources
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