Places of Tourist Interest in Bhubaneshwar - Major Attractions to Visit

Bhubaneshwar is a historical city in the state of Orissa that has become very popular amongst tourist as an important tourist destination. There are lots of places of tourist interests to visit which are historically important making it an attraction for tourists from all over the world. The various places of interest are mentioned in this article with the details about those places and attractions given.

Bhubaneshwar is the modern capital of the state of Orissa, which is one of those unique places where tradition and modernity goes hand in hand, preserving in it, its culture, history and art. Bhubaneshwar has a great history in it it has been ruled by great rulers and civilizations since centuries, making it a treasure house for rich culture and heritage.

Since Bhubaneshwar is also known as the city of temples, it has more than 500 temples and historical monuments which are hot spots for tourists to visit making it the major tourist attraction at Bhubaneshwar. Few places that are of tourist interests and must be visited by everyone visiting the city are mentioned below:

Khandagiri and Udaygiri Caves - Located in the two small hills in the outskirts of Bhubaneshwar, Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills have numerous caves in its hills that has famous inscriptions of Emperor Kharavela. It is being said these caves were used by great saints for meditation.

At the stairways to Khandagiri Caves

Dhauli - Dhauli is located in the bank of the Daya river, which is a landmark where great historical events had occurred The great Kalinga war was fought by Emperor Ashoka at Dhauli making it of a great historical importance. The first rock-cut sculptures in India are found at Dhauli. The famous Dhauli Peace Pagoda made by the Japanese is one of the major tourist attractions that replicate Buddhist culture.

Lingaraj Temple - The Lingaraj temple was built in the 11th century as a holy shrine of Lord Shiva. The temple is a 54 metres high temple that stands out tall with numerous other small temples around. These temples have inscriptions and sculptures of god and goddess, especially Lord Shiva, which tell stories from the Hindu mythology.

At Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneshwar

Mukteshwar Temple - This monument was built way-back in the 10th century, which is a 34 feet high temple considered as one of the finest architecture of ancient Orissa. Mukteshwar temple is decorated by inscriptions in its outer walls that depicts folk tales from various Hindu books like Panchatantra.

Nandan Kanan - Nandan Kanan is an open air zoological parks which has a very unique and rich collection of wildlife which includes the Asiatic lions and white tigers. This zoological park also offers white tiger and lion safari, toy train ride, ropeway ride, boating, etc.

Pipli - Pipli is a small village about 20 kilometres from Bhubaneshwar famous for its handicraft, known as the home of applique work.

Other famous tourist attraction places includes BDA Nicco Park, Regional Science Centre, Orissa State Museum, Ekamra Haat, Rajarani temple and Atri hot spring.