Golden Temple ranked 3rd on tourist list

NEW DELHI: The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) in Amritsar has been ranked number 3, followed by Taj Mahal and Jaipur’s Amber Fort, in the country on the travellers’ choice landmarks’ list of a leading travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor. Surrounded by a holy ‘sarovar’, its construction was completed in 1604 and presently runs one of the largest free kitchens in the world, which serves an average of 1,00,000 people daily.

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi also figures in the top 10 list of popular destinations among travellers in the country. TAJ MAHAL AT FIFTH SPOT GLOBALLY

According to TripAdvisor, the iconic wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal, has been voted among the top five tourist attractions in the world, second in Asia and led the popularity list in India. The iconic monument of love is ranked number 5 in the global list of the recently released TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Landmarks Awards, which put Machu Picchu in Peru and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in Abu Dhabi as the top two destinations for travellers.

Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.

“India has a rich cultural history which is often reflected in the architectural landmarks that we’ve built and any recognition on the world stage is truly well deserved,” Nikhil Ganju, country manager, TripAdvisor India, said. The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.” JAIPUR’S AMBER FORT RANKED 8TH IN ASIA

The Amber Fort in Jaipur figures on the 8th spot on the list of Travellers’ Choice Landmarks in Asia. Known for its combination of Mughal and Rajput architecture, Amber fort is one of the major tourist attractions in Jaipur. The most fascinating state room inside the fort is the Sheesh Mahal, also known as the mirror palace, adorned with thousands of mirror tiles which supposedly can be fully lit just by a single candle.This fort, along with Jaigarh Fort, is located immediately above on the Cheel ka Teela (Hill of Eagles) and connected by a subterranean passage.