Quick Fact: The ancient Buddhist site, Sarnath, in Uttar Pradesh, India, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee. With this, India now has 45 World Heritage sites. The 48th session of the committee was held at Busan, South Korea. According to a report by the Ministry of Culture, this global accolade celebrates India's enduring cultural legacy, showcasing its diverse traditions of architectural brilliance, regional identity, and historical continuity.
Tim Curtis, Director and Representative, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia noted:
"For more than 2,500 years, Sarnath has been a place of pilgrimage and inspiration for Buddhists around the world. It is here that the Buddha delivered his first sermon, sharing teachings of compassion, wisdom and peace that continue to resonate today."
"Its temples, stupas, and monasteries bear witness to centuries of faith, devotion, and shared human heritage. Safeguarding this exceptional site is our collective responsibility for present and future generations," Curtis asserted.
According to official information, the ancient site of Sarnath was included in the tentative list of World Heritage in 1998. The proposal to include the site in the list of World Heritage was sent for the consideration of the committee in January 2025 and after a rigorous eighteen-month long process involving several meetings with the advisory bodies and review of the site, the decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee on July 25, 2026, at Busan, South Korea.
The inscribed property comprises two components: Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath (Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmrajika Stupa, Mulagandgakuti Vihara, Ashokan Pillar, etc.), located within Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
Together these two components preserve the architectural and archaeological remains of the ancient site of Sarnath, known in the Buddhist tradition under different names - Rishipatana, Ishipatana, Mrigadava.
They all refer to a sacred geography, where the Buddha visited in the 6th century BCE and delivered his first sermon known as the "Turning of the Wheel of the Law" (Dharmachakra pravartana). This event marked the inception of the Buddhist sangha and the establishment of the principles of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Last year, 'the Maratha Military Landscapes of India' were inscribed in the World Heritage list at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held at UNESCO Headquarters at Paris.
With 45 sites in the list, India ranks sixth globally and second in Asia Pacific region for the most number of World Heritage sites.
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area given legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The purpose of including these heritage sites in UNESCO's list is to preserve and promote shared heritage based on OUVs (Outstanding Universal Values) found in cultural, natural as well as mixed properties across 196 countries.