About Chandigarh
Known as ‘The City Beautiful‘, Chandigarh offers a unique and captivating travel experience as India’s first fully planned city, envisioned by the legendary French architect Le Corbusier. Nestled picturesquely at the foothills of the Shivalik range, Chandigarh stands as a globally recognized masterpiece of modern architecture and urban design, serving as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, and a Union Territory in its own right.
The city’s meticulously organized grid system, wide, tree-lined boulevards, and low-rise buildings are a testament to innovative town planning. Key attractions include the UNESCO World Heritage Capitol Complex, featuring Le Corbusier’s iconic structures like the Assembly and Secretariat, and the symbolic Open Hand Monument. The city is famous for its vibrant green spaces, particularly the serene Sukhna Lake, perfect for boating and evening strolls, and the world-renowned Rock Garden, an artistic marvel created entirely from industrial and home waste by artist Nek Chand. For nature lovers, the Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Asia’s largest, offers a dazzling display of roses and a tranquil escape. Blending modernist elegance with a relaxed, green environment, Chandigarh is a must visit destination that promises a peaceful yet dynamic blend of culture, art, and innovation.
Places to Visit in Chandigarh
The Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh as seen from the lake promenade. The Himalayan foothills are also clearly visible in the background, with the hill town of Kasauli under the shadow of the clouds.
The Chandigarh Hockey Stadium is a field hockey stadium in Chandigarh, India. It was the home of the Chandigarh Dynamos of the Premier Hockey League. It has a seating capacity of 30,000 people. It is the second largest terrace field hockey stadium in the world.
Chandigarh skyline in winter, with light snowfall on the peaks of the Shivalik Hills
Sambar deer in City Forest Park, Chandigarh
The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India. It is also known as Nek Chand Saini’s Rock Garden of Nathupur after its founder Nek Chand Saini, a government official who started building the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957.
Zakir Husain Rose Garden is a botanical garden located in Chandigarh, India, and spread over 30 acres of land, with 50,000 rose bushes of 1600 different species.
The Palace of Assembly is a building in Chandigarh, India, which houses the Punjab Legislative Assembly and the Haryana Legislative Assembly. It was designed by modernist architect Le Corbusier. It is part of the Chandigarh Capitol Complex, which includes the Legislative Assembly, Secretariat and High Court.
The Le Corbusier Centre is a museum housed in the legendary architect’s original office, showcasing his vision for the city. It preserves archival materials, sketches, and documents that trace the planning and architectural journey of Chandigarh from concept to reality, making it essential for understanding the city’s unique modernist heritage.
The Open Hand Monument is a symbolic structure designed by the architect Le Corbusier and located in the Capitol Complex of the Indian city and union territory of Chandigarh.
During excavations for a shopping center in Chandigarh’s Sector 17 in 1969, remains of a Harappan-era cemetery and settlement were discovered, including painted pottery, terracotta figurines, beads, faience and copper bangles, and querns.