Attractions in Varanasi

The deer park where Buddha gave his first sermon, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site with ancient stupas and ruins..

A grand modern corridor connecting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to the Ganges ghats, opened in 2021..

One of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, a Jyotirlinga and the holiest site in Varanasi..

A unique temple dedicated to Mother India, featuring a large marble relief map of the Indian subcontinent..

A historic ghat where five rivers are believed to converge, topped by the grand Alamgir Mosque..

A colorful and quieter ghat featuring the Kedareshwar Temple, known for its vibrant painted steps..

A massive 6th-century stupa at Sarnath marking the spot where Buddha gave his first sermon..

An 18th-century Mughal-style fort on the eastern bank of the Ganges, home to the Maharaja of Varanasi..

The most sacred cremation ghat in Varanasi, where funeral pyres burn day and night..

Kabir Math is the ashram-museum dedicated to Kabir — the 15th-century mystic poet-weaver whose verses transcended Hindu-Muslim boundaries. The simple garden complex contains a library, meditation hall and rooms where devotional recitals of Kabir's dohas (couplets) are performed.

A striking white marble temple inside the Banaras Hindu University campus, modeled on the original Vishwanath Temple..

Beloved temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, founded by Tulsidas and famous for its resident monkeys..

The main and most famous ghat of Varanasi, known for its spectacular Ganga Aarti ceremony..

The southernmost ghat of Varanasi, a popular gathering spot for morning yoga and cultural events..

The Alamgir Mosque (also called Beni Madhav ka Darera) was built by Aurangzeb atop a Hindu temple site on the ghat front. Its elevated position offers sweeping views over the Ganges, and its Mughal dome is a prominent landmark in the Varanasi skyline.

An 18th-century Nagara-style temple dedicated to the goddess Durga, known for its resident colony of monkeys..

Chunar Fort perches on a cliff above the Ganges about 40 km downstream from Varanasi, its layered history spanning 2,000 years — from Mauryan foundations through Mughal occupation to British cannons. The fort offers sweeping views over the river gorge.

An ancient Buddhist stupa marking the spot where Buddha met his first five disciples, topped by a Mughal octagonal tower..

A modern marble temple built in 1964 at the site where poet Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas..

One of Asia's largest residential universities, founded in 1916 by Madan Mohan Malaviya, with a sprawling leafy campus..

A beautiful Buddhist temple at Sarnath built in 1931 by the Mahabodhi Society, with frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu..

An 18th-century astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II on Man Mandir Ghat..