Slopes of the Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India

SLOPES OF THE HIMILAYAS, UTTARAKHAND (INDIA)

High in West Himalayas, Nanda Devi National Park in Uttarakhand, India, features rugged mountainous terrain; the annexed Valley of Flowers has meadows of alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. A richly diverse area, it is home to Asiatic black bears, snow leopards, brown bears, and blue sheep. Together they encompass a unique transition zone.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

Le Corbusier's Architecture, seven countries

LE CORBUSIER'S ARCHITECTURE

UNESCO has cited 17 buildings of Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French pioneer of modern architecture who was active for over 50 years. They are in seven countries: France (10); Switzerland (2); Belgium, Germany, Argentina, India, and Japan (1 each). They include museums; residences, apartments, and housing projects; a factory; a chapel; a monastery; and a government compound.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

Fatehpur Sikri, India

FATEHPUR SIKRI, India

Fatehpur Sikri (the "City of Victory") stands about 25 miles from the Taj Mahal, and served as the capital of the Mughal Empire 1571-1585 under its builder, Emperor Akbar the Great (son and successor to Humayun, and grandfather of the builder of the Taj). It is home to numerous exquisite buildings, including the Buland Darwaza (shown), gateway to the congregational mosque.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi, India

HUMAYUN'S TOMB (Delhi, India)

This tomb, completed in Delhi in 1570, was the first Persian-style garden tomb built in the Indian subcontinent, and the first to use red sandstone at such a scale. It entombs the second Mughal Emperor; the fifth, Shah Jahan, completed the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumtaz 80 years later. Other important tombs are found near that of Humayun.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

The Ajanta Caves

THE AJANTA CAVES (Ajanta, India)

The 30 rock-cut Buddhist Caves in Ajanta, India, date back to the 2nd century BCE. They house paintings and sculptures, ancient monasteries and worship-halls, and served as a monsoon retreat for monks as well as stopovers for merchants and pilgrims. Once covered by jungle, they came to Western attention in 1819 as the result of a tiger-hunting party.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)

The Taj Mahal

THE TAJ MAHAL (Agra, India)

This ethereal edifice on the banks of the River Yamuna in Agra, India, is actually a mausoleum. A "monument to undying love," it was built from 1632-53 by the Muslim emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to the couple's 14th child. Shah Jahan himself is also buried there. Estimated cost in today's money: $1 billion US.

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(Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons; CTTO)