Sights & Monuments in Varanasi

Ramnagar Fort

Ramnagar

The riverside residence of the former Maharaja of Banaras, preserving palace courtyards, collections and a strong connection with the city's royal traditions.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Vishwanath Gali

One of India's most revered Shiva temples, at the spiritual heart of Varanasi and deeply connected with the city's sacred identity.

Ganga Aarti — Dashashwamedh Ghat

Ganga

The city's most famous ceremonial ghat, where the evening Ganga Aarti creates one of Varanasi's most unforgettable experiences.

Sarnath (Dhamek Stupa & Museum)

Where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after enlightenment, Sarnath's Dhamek Stupa and adjoining archaeological museum make it one of Buddhism's four most sacred pilgrimage sites.

Chet Singh Ghat Palace

Ganga

A fortified riverside palace associated with the history of Banaras and the conflict between its ruler and the British.

Darbhanga Palace

Darbhanga Ghat

A grand palace fronting the Ganga, whose monumental architecture forms one of the most impressive stretches of the Varanasi waterfront.

Maharaja Palace, Shivala

Shivala

A historic riverside palace complex reflecting the presence of royal families from across India along Varanasi's ghats.

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

Assi area

A beloved temple dedicated to Hanuman, known for its devotional atmosphere and its connection with the cultural life of Varanasi.

Durga Kund Temple

Durga Kund

A distinctive red temple beside a historic pond, dedicated to Durga and deeply woven into the religious landscape of southern Varanasi.

Tulsi Manas Temple

Durga Kund

A modern but culturally important temple associated with the poet Tulsidas and the Hindi retelling of the Ramayana.

Bharat Mata Temple

Cantonment

An unusual temple dedicated not to a deity but to Mother India, featuring a large relief map of the subcontinent.

Kaal Bhairav Temple

Kaal Bhairav

A powerful shrine dedicated to Kaal Bhairav, regarded in Varanasi's traditions as the city's guardian deity.

Nepali Temple

Lalita Ghat

A charming wooden temple near Lalita Ghat, built in a distinctive Nepalese style with carved details and a quiet riverside setting.

Sankatha Temple

Chowk

A historic temple dedicated to Sankatha Devi, situated within the dense sacred landscape of Varanasi's old city.

Annapurna Temple

Vishwanath area

A revered shrine to the goddess Annapurna, closely connected with Varanasi's traditions of food, nourishment and devotion.

Vishalakshi Temple

Mir Ghat

An important Shakti shrine near the Ganga, remembered as one of the sacred goddess sites of Varanasi.

Sarnath Thai Temple

Sarnath

A peaceful Buddhist complex reflecting the international character of Sarnath as a pilgrimage destination for Buddhist communities from around the world.

Kedar Ghat

Ganga

A colourful and deeply atmospheric ghat associated with Shiva and South Indian traditions, with temples and rituals unfolding along the river.

Manikarnika Ghat

Ganga

One of Varanasi's oldest and most sacred cremation ghats, central to the city's understanding of life, death and liberation.

Assi Ghat

Ganga

A lively southern ghat where pilgrims, students, artists and visitors meet the river, especially atmospheric at sunrise.

Scindia Ghat

Ganga

A striking riverside ghat known for its partially submerged temple and quieter lanes leading into the old city.

Panchganga Ghat

Ganga

A historic ghat associated with sacred traditions and an important meeting point of Varanasi's religious and architectural history.

Ahilyabai Ghat

Ganga

A beautifully maintained ghat associated with the celebrated Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar and her patronage of Varanasi's sacred architecture.

Munshi Ghat

Ganga

An elegant riverside ghat developed by a wealthy official, known for its distinctive palace architecture and lively riverfront atmosphere.

Lalita Ghat

Ganga

A culturally rich ghat where Hindu and Nepalese architectural traditions meet beside the Ganga.

Bharat Kala Bhavan

BHU

A respected museum at Banaras Hindu University housing paintings, sculptures, textiles and objects representing India's artistic traditions.

Ramnagar Museum

Ramnagar Fort

The royal museum of the former Banaras estate, preserving arms, costumes, manuscripts and objects connected with the court.

Sarnath Archaeological Museum

Sarnath

One of India's most important archaeological museums, preserving sculptures and the famous Lion Capital associated with Ashoka.

Man Mandir Palace & Observatory

Man Mandir Ghat

A Rajput palace on the riverfront containing an eighteenth-century observatory built to study the heavens from Varanasi.

Sarnath Chaukhandi Stupa

Sarnath

An ancient mound commemorating the meeting place of Buddha and his first disciples, later crowned with a Mughal-era tower.

Sarnath Mulagandha Kuti Vihara

Sarnath

A Buddhist temple and modern pilgrimage centre decorated with remarkable murals, offering a living continuation of Sarnath's spiritual heritage.