India GOFacts about Chandigarh
Chandigarh belongs to no state. Since 1 November 1966 it has been a union territory run by the central government, and at the same time the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana. It lies at the foot of the Shivalik hills, about 260 km north-west of New Delhi, and is famous as India's first planned city, drawn by Le Corbusier and known by its own slogan as the City Beautiful.
Chandigarh is a union territory of India.
Capitol ComplexUNESCOIndia's first planned city, drawn from scratch by Le Corbusier: numbered sectors, wide green avenues, cycle tracks and raw-concrete landmarks at the foot of the Shivaliks. The cleanest, calmest city in the north, plus Nek Chand's famous Rock Garden.
Where Chandigarh is, and why it is in no state
When Punjab was divided at Partition in 1947, its capital Lahore went to Pakistan, and Indian Punjab needed a new one. In March 1948 the site at the foot of the Shivaliks was approved, and the foundation stone was laid in 1952. When the state was reorganised on 1 November 1966 into Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, the city became the capital of both Punjab and Haryana and was itself declared a union territory under the central government.
On the map, Chandigarh borders Haryana to the east and Punjab on the other sides. With two satellite cities, Mohali in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana, it forms one urban area, and locally the three are called the tricity. Shimla is about 104 km to the north-east and Amritsar about 229 km to the north-west. The territory's code is IN-CH, and local number plates start with CH.
What Chandigarh is famous for
The places below have their own pages; the UNESCO sites and museums pages collect the rest.
Le Corbusier's plan
The first plans were drawn by Albert Mayer and Maciej Nowicki; from 1951 Le Corbusier took over, working with Pierre Jeanneret, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew. He described the plan as a body: the Capitol Complex in Sector 1 is the head, the Sector 17 centre the heart, the Leisure Valley and the greens the lungs, and the roads the circulation. Nehru's words on the founding: a new town "unfettered by the traditions of the past".
The Capitol Complex (UNESCO)
The Secretariat, the High Court and the Legislative Assembly, separated by vast plazas, with the Open Hand, the city's emblem, at its heart. In 2016 the complex was inscribed as part of UNESCO's listing of Le Corbusier's work. It is a working seat of government, visited only on a free guided tour with photo ID.
The Rock Garden
Nek Chand, a public works employee, began building it in secret in 1957 on forest land next to the Capitol, from stones and the city's construction waste. It opened in 1976; today more than 2,000 figures stand across about 40 acres. See Rock Garden.
Sukhna Lake and the gardens
Sukhna, about 3 km², was made in 1958 by damming a seasonal stream off the Shivaliks. Of the 20,000 acres acquired for the first phase of the city, about 2,000 were set aside for parks, among them the Rose Garden of 1967, which Chandigarh Tourism calls the largest in Asia. See Sukhna Lake and Leisure Valley.
Punjabi food
The dishes the city is best known for are chole bhature, two fried breads with a bowl of chickpeas, and Amritsari kulcha, crushed by hand before serving. In winter there is sarson ka saag. See what to eat in Chandigarh.
Chandigarh in numbers
| Status | Union territory since 1 November 1966; capital of Punjab and Haryana |
| Area | 114 km² |
| Population | 1,055,450 (Census 2011) |
| Elevation | 304–365 m above sea level |
| From New Delhi | about 260 km |
| Sectors | 30 in the first phase, 17 in the second |
| Size of a sector | 800 × 1,200 m, about 250 acres |
| Road types | seven (the 7 Vs), plus cycle tracks (V8) |
| Languages | official: English; most spoken: Hindi and Punjabi (Census 2011) |
| Symbols | grey hornbill, grey mongoose, mango tree, dhak flower |
Lesser-known facts
Small details that explain how the city works.
- The name comes from a temple — Chandigarh means the fort (garh) of Chandi, the goddess of power, after the Chandi Mandir temple near the site, now just across the border in Panchkula. See Chandi Mandir.
- The nickname is from America — "City Beautiful" goes back to the City Beautiful movement in North American planning; the first planner, Albert Mayer, wanted to "create a beautiful city", and the phrase became the city's official logo in the 1970s.
- An address is a coordinate — Each sector has four quarters, A, B, C and D, and its own market and greens within walking distance. An address like "SCO 151, Sector 28" tells a driver almost everything.
- Even the manholes are designed — The manhole covers were designed by Pierre Jeanneret, and Chandigarh Tourism now treats them as design heritage.
- The ground under Sector 17 is ancient — Artefacts, a cemetery and a settlement of the Indus Valley civilisation were found around present-day Sector 17 while the city was being built in the 1950s and 1960s.
FAQ
Which state is Chandigarh in?
None. Chandigarh is a union territory administered by the central government, and it is also the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
Is Chandigarh in Punjab or Haryana?
In neither, although it borders both: Haryana to the east and Punjab on the other sides. Its twin cities are Mohali in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.
What is the nickname of Chandigarh?
The City Beautiful, a phrase from American urban planning that became the city's official logo in the 1970s.
Who designed Chandigarh?
Le Corbusier, from 1951, with Pierre Jeanneret, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, building on earlier plans by Albert Mayer and Maciej Nowicki.
What food is Chandigarh famous for?
Punjabi food: chole bhature, Amritsari kulcha, dal makhani and, in winter, sarson ka saag.
Which city is close to Chandigarh?
Mohali and Panchkula are joined to it. Further out, Shimla is about 104 km away and New Delhi about 260 km.
What is the area of Chandigarh?
114 km². The 2011 census counted 1,055,450 people.
Sources (4)
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
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