Madhya Pradesh in India is a treasure chest of history and heritage. The historical places in Madhya Pradesh are a delight for history buffs and lay travellers alike. Places steeped in history and overflowing with the rich heritage of the land are scattered all around the state.

Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh

The history of the state of Madhya Pradesh can be traced all the way to the palaeolithic age. Rock shelters and cave paintings that are dated to 30,000 BCE have been discovered in many locations in Madhya Pradesh. The ancient period saw the dynasties of Nandas, Mauryas, and Guptas rule the region.

Later the medieval period saw the emergence of the Paramara and Chandela clans, and the famous Khajuraho temples also came up during this period. In more recent history, Madhya Pradesh was under the rule of the Marathas, Mughals, and later the British Empire. Thus it is no wonder that Madhya Pradesh is home to many gems of history and heritage. Here are 5 historical places in Madhya Pradesh that are complete destinations in themselves and truly unmissable.

1. Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh – Bhimbetka

Bhimbetka provides evidence of the first signs of civilization in what is today, the state of Madhya Pradesh. Bhimbetka is home to more than 200 rock shelters. Out of these around 133 shelters have rock paintings and other hieroglyphics. These are from different periods and the earliest ones are believed to be 100,000 years old. Bhimbetka is truly one of the earliest cradles of Mankind, and Madhya Pradesh is home to such a unique site.

If you are in Bhopal next time, do take out time to visit the Bhimbetka which is not very far from the city. And while you do that you can also visit another historical landmark, the incomplete Shiva temple in Bhojpur.

Distance From Bhopal – 46 Kilometres.

Nearest Airport – Bhopal.

Click Here to read about the 5 best luxury hotels in Bhopal.

2. Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh – Chanderi

Chanderi is a town which has always held a strategic position at the crossroads of history. It is located near the historic Dakshinapatha, an ancient trade route, and is full of historic sites from different periods. However, Chanderi continues to remain in the shadow of some of the better-known historical places in Madhya Pradesh, like Gwalior, Bhopal, Sanchi, and Khajuraho.

Chanderi is a city that finds mention even in the Puranas. In Vedic times the place was Chaidnagar and was ruled by the Chhedis. It is believed that the Chedi dynasty was founded by Shishupala’s grandfather. Shishupala was an antagonist in the Mahabharata and was slain by Krishna.

Chanderi has many pre-historic sites including the famous Tana Bana, where pre-historic tools have been found. The site of Nanon has rock shelters with pre-historic rock paintings. There are around 12 archaeological sites around Chanderi and many more are in the process of discovery. There are many sites in Chanderi that are from the Gupta dynasty, and from the Mughal period. A visit to Chanderi will open the doors to its long history.

Distance From Bhopal – 214 Kilometres.

Nearest Airport – Bhopal or Gwalior.

Click Here to read about the places to visit in Chanderi.

3. Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh – Sanchi

Sanchi is an iconic place not only in Madhya Pradesh but also in India, if not the world. The group of monuments at Sanchi is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it includes the famous Sanchi Stupa. Sanchi in many ways provides a timeline of Buddhism in India. The Sanchi Stupa was commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. It was later reconstructed and embellished during the 2nd and 1st centuries.

Sanchi is a place that a connoisseur of history cannot afford to miss, and when you visit Sanchi, you must also visit the Udayagiri Caves nearby. These caves have rock sculptures from the Gupta period.

Distance From Bhopal – 48 Kilometres.

Nearest Airport – Bhopal.

Click Here for a complete guide to visiting the Sanchi Stupa.

Click Here to read about the best place to stay in Sanchi.

Click Here to read about the Sanchi Archaeological Museum.

4. Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh – Khajuraho

Khajuraho is probably the most famous of Madhya Pradesh’s attractions across the globe. The erotic paintings in the temples of Khajuraho have catapulted the place into the global limelight, however, there is so much more to Khajuraho and its temples.

Khajuraho is home to grand temples that are studded with exquisite sculptures and carvings, erotic carvings are just a small percentage of this. Most of the Khajuraho temples were built between the 10th and 11th centuries, during the reign of the Chandela Kings.

The temples of Khajuraho have been categorized as the Eastern Group of Temples, Western Group of Temples, and Southern Group of Temples. The most important of the Khajuraho temples are; Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshman Temple, Adinath Temple, Parshavnath Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, Dulhadeo Temple, and Varaha Temple.

Distance From Bhopal – 374 Kilometres.

Nearest Airport – Khajuraho.

Click Here to read about the Khajuraho Jain Temples.

Click Here to read about the best place to stay in Khajuraho.

5. Historical Places In Madhya Pradesh – Orchha

Orchha is a beautiful place to visit in Madhya Pradesh. Its history is relatively recent. Orchha was founded during the 16th century by the Bundela Chieftan Rudra Pratap Singh. The Bundelas later had their capital in Orchha. The town of Orchha today has a dense collection of historic residential palaces, buildings, gardens, and cenotaphs, apart from temples. Places of historical interest in Orchha include the Orchha Fort, the Royal Cenotaphs, the Jahangir Mahal, the Raja Mahal, and the Ram Raja Mandir.

Distance From Bhopal – 335 Kilometres.

Nearest Airport – Gwalior.

We hope you liked reading about these 5 amazing historical places in Madhya Pradesh, however, these are some of the few pearls that we have retrieved for you from the ocean of heritage and history that exists in Madhya Pradesh. For more such interesting and informative content, subscribe to our blog and also connect with us on our social media channels.

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Sandy & Vyjay are a husband and wife duo who are travel content creators. They are co-founders of this travel website and are one of the leading travel content creators in India.

Sandy & Vyjay quit their successful corporate careers to pursue their passion for travel and writing full-time. Their dedication has earned them the “Best Travel Writer” award and numerous accolades on both national and international stages. Focusing on India’s destinations, heritage, and culture, they are passionate advocates for nature and the environment. Through their content, they promote ecotourism and sustainable travel, inspiring others to explore and preserve the beauty of India.