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Since Chandigarh is a newly developed city, it does not have many historic monuments to offer. However, the Chandigarh city boasts of several beautiful and well-maintained gardens that are a treat to the eyes. Amongst the must visit places of Chandigarh are the Rose Garden and the Rock Garden. The Capitol Complex is a must see. Tourists may stroll or enjoy boating at the Sukhna Lake of the city beautiful.
Capitol Complex
Amongst the
must visit places in Chandigarh is the monumental Capitol Complex at Sector 1. The tourist attraction happens to dominate the skyline of Chandigarh. Standing aloof at the foothills of the city of Chandigarh, like the Grecian Acropolis, the geometrical concrete buildings rise from the mounds as giant playful sculptures. The places to be visited in the Capitol complex of Chandigarh are the three major buildings of the Secretariat, the Assembly, and the High Court. All the three are interlocked to one another as part of a subtle visual composition, delicately balanced, and enclosing grandiose spaces. Between the silhouettes of these magnificent edifices is juxtaposed the Chandigarh city's most popular visible symbol:
the Open Hand.
In the world of architecture, these buildings are perceived as exceptional manifestations of 'modern' architecture, reflecting the creativity and care of a lifetime. To further enhance the linear perspective in the Capital Complex, Le Corbusier planned several monuments along its main piazza extending 1200 feet. These are the monument of the Open hand, the Martyrs Memorial, the Tower of Shadows and the Geometrical Hill.
Open Hand Monument Mural by Le Carbousier at
Legislative AssembleyHigh Court The Secretariat
The largest of the edifices
in the Capitol Complex of Chandigarh is the 750-ft-long and 150-ft-high Secretariat. It is a huge multi-storeyed linear slab like structure, designed as a work place for nearly 4,000 people. Le Corbusier, who was very sensitive to nature, as a salute to the majesty of the mountains, placed the Secretariat perpendicular to the nearby Shivalik range, so as not to obliterate their panoramic view.
The long line of identical sun breakers is broken by introducing varied heights and projections, together with a roof containing towers, funnels, apvilioins and a cafetaria jutting out like an art object placed on a pedestal. The 'raw' finish and rough concrete surfaces which Le Corbusier insisted upon was first critiqued vehemently, and then admired the world over.
The Legislative Assembly
The Assembly building in Chandigarh happens to be the most sculptural of all architectural forms in the Complex. While at this place you must visit the entrance at the piazza level for ceremonial occasions. The massive 25×25 feet door that Le Corbusier himself painted, as a colorful mural must be seen.
The High Court
The High Court of Chandigarh is also a linear block, with the main façade towards the piazza. It has a rhythmic arcade of a parasol-like double roof, which shades the entire building in summer. Keeping in view the special dignity of the honorable judges, an exclusive entry has been created for them through a high portico resting on three giant pylons. Very much in the tradition of the ceremonial gateway of the Buland Darwaza of Fatehpur Sikri, this grand entrance with its awesome scale does manifest the majesty of law to those who enter its portals.
The Open Hand Monument
One of the most significant monuments planned by Le Corbusier in Chandigarh is the Open Hand. The monument is a place to visit in Chandigarh. Rising 85 feet high from a sunken trench, a giant hand in metal sheets is designed to rotate "like a weather cock, not to show the incertitude of ideas, but to indicate symbolically the direction of wind (that is the state of affairs)." It is also meant to convey a message of peace "open to receive." Amongst the other monumental places to visit in Chandigarh are the Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, and Martyr's Memorial.-
Sector 17 Plaza
One of the most important places to visit is Sector 17, Chandigarh's sleek shopping area and the city centre. Planned around four pedestrian concourses meeting at a central chowk (intersection), the Sector 17 of Chandigarh is a pedestrian's paradise dotted with fountains, sculptures, and groves of trees. In summers the tourists move from one end of the sector to the other, under the shade of a corridor, and in winter it is nice to be out in the sun-drenched piazzas. In the evenings, when the colorful mosaic of neon signs and the aesthetically illuminated fountains come alive, Sector 17 becomes the Chandigarh city's biggest outdoor club.
Sukhna Lake
Another favorite recreation spot of the nature-loving people of Chandigarh is the Sukhna Lake in Sector 1. Created by building an artificial dam on a seasonal stream, Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake is spread over a large area. A 2-km-long promenade along the lakeshore is a popular place to be visited in Chandigarh by the tourists and localities alike.
The Rock Garden
No description of Chandigarh city can be complete without a mention of its most celebrated creations-the Rock Garden. Spread over 12 acres of wooded land near the Capitol Complex the Rock Garden of Chandigarh is the creation of a humble road inspector called Nek Chand. The urban waste material turned into creative patterns and textures, mute rocks turned into art objects attract tourists to Chandigarh. A visit to the Rock Garden is a must for all the tourists traveling to Chandigarh.
Leisure Valley
Another place to tourist interest in Chandigarh is its leisure valley, which, like a garland
of gardens, ornaments the Chandigarh city from one end to the other. The Rose Garden of Sector 16, which with
an area of 25 hectares is one of the largest in Asia. The Rose Garden is a place worth visiting in Chandigarh
for being home to thousand varieties of roses. Other prominent and worth visiting parks of the Chandigarh
city are the Garden of Tranquility, Garden of Rare Plants, Garden of Annuals, the Bougainvillea Garden,
Botanical Garden, and the Garden of Aromatic Plants.
Government Museum and Art Gallery
The Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10 of Chandigarh has a fine collection of stone sculptures of the Gandhara period. The museum is the place to see the prehistoric fossils and artifacts along with modern art and miniature paintings. The Government Museum and Art Gallery of Chandigarh is open from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and is closed on Mondays.Museum of Evolution of Life
The Museum of Evolution of Life in Sector 10 of Chandigarh takes tourists on a trip 5,000 years back from the Indus Valley Civilization to the present day. Chandigarh city's Museum of Evolution of Life is open from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. and is closed on Mondays.International Dolls Museum
The International Dolls Museum in Sector 23 of Chandigarh has an interesting collection of dolls and puppets from all over the world covering the variant art of more than 25 countries. Chandigarh city's International Dolls museum is closed on Sundays.