10 Places to Visit in Aligarh

Aligarh is a major historical, cultural and commercial city in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In 372 AD, the Dor Rajputs founded this city and named it as ‘Koli’. Later, the Mughal Empire renamed it as ‘Aligarh’. This bustling city boasts of a rich cultural heritage and a distinctive past. Apart from its cultural significance, this place is also famous for its lock industry, brassware, and zinc die casting.

We have listed below top 10 visit-worthy tourist attractions in Aligarh which you should checkout during your stay at this place:

1. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

Originally named as Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College, this is one of the oldest and the best educational institutions in India. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan set up AMU in 1875-78 AD. Its college campus covers a whopping 467.6 hectares of land. Every year, AMU organizes an International short-film festival called ‘Filmsaaz’ which attracts various personalities from the Indian film industry, students, and tourists in large numbers.

2. Maulana Azad Library (Lytton Library)

Lord Lytton established this expansive library in the year 1875. The library building has seven floors and covers up to 18,000 square meters of land area. In fact, it is one of the largest libraries in India and has a massive collection of books, journals, and archives.

3. Sir Syed Academy Museum

It was initially the residential bungalow of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and is situated within the AMU campus. This popular landmark also attracts hundreds of tourists, all year round.

4. Jama Masjid (Sir Syed Masjid)

The erstwhile ruler of Aligarh, Sabit Khan built this grand Islamic shrine in the early-eighteenth century AD. This famous mosque is also located within the premises of the AMU campus. It houses the tomb of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan which makes it a major tourist hotspot in Aligarh.

5. Aligarh Quila (Aligarh Fort)

Built in the year 1525 AD, during the reign of Ibrahim Lodhi, this fortress is also called as ‘Ramgarh Quila’ and ‘Banasaur Quila’. Interestingly it is considered as one of the strongest forts in the country. The entire fortification is surrounded by a wide and deep moat. According to Indian History, the soldiers of this fort rebelled against the British officers during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 but didn’t massacre them.

6. Dor Fortress

This medieval-era monument is situated atop a hillock in the Upper Kot region, at a prime location in Aligarh. King Buddsen Dor of the Dor dynasty laid its foundation in the early-sixteenth century AD. However, this place now lies in ruins due to neglect and lack of maintenance.

7. Ibn Sina Academy Of Medieval Medicine And Sciences

Established in 2000 AD, this one-of-its-kind college is named after a renowned Unani medicine practitioner, Abu Ali Ibn Sina. This institution offers a variety of course programs related to the healing practices of Unani Medicine.

8. Teerthdham Mangalayatan

This is one of the largest pilgrim centers for followers of Jainism in the world. It is situated on the outskirts of the main city. This revered temple complex is sprawled across nearly 80,000 square yards of land.

9. Khereshwar Mandir

Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of this famous Hindu shrine. It is located in Shivrajpur, Aligarh. This stunningly-beautiful temple is designed artistically which will leave you amazed. Its interiors have engraved ceilings decorated with unique metallic mural finish.

10. Baba Barchi Bahadur Dargah

It’s a 600-years-old ‘Dargah’ dedicated to the famous Muslim saint named Baba Barchi Bahadur. Every year, thousands of devotees visit this site on the event of his ‘Urs’ to pay their homage. His followers include many devotees from different religions. Devotees also throng this place of communal harmony for wish-fulfillment. You can also come here to pray, tie a thread, and make a wish!

The city of Aligarh also has two spectacular museums- Chacha Nehru Gyan Pusp and Hakim Karam Hussain Museum. The latter is actually a health museum and houses a wide collection of exhibits on human health-related historical facts, diseases, and issues. The ‘Chacha Nehru Gyan Pushp’ is an educational-cum-scientific museum which was set up in 1982 AD. It has an impressive collection of historical, geographical, and biological specimens.

Other city attractions include Ghanta Ghar, Tapobhumi of Vishwamitra, and Shekha Lake. The picturesque Shekha Lake is rich in biodiversity and considered as a great bird-watching zone!