Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha, located at an elevation of 58 meters and around 480 kilometers southwest of Kolkata. A major center of Bhubaneswar tourism, the city is widely known as the “Temple City of India” because of its extraordinary concentration of medieval temples. More than 700 temples once stood here, with nearly 500 still surviving today, making it one of the top attractions in Bhubaneswar. The old city, known as Ekamra Kshetra, developed around the magnificent Lingaraj Temple, built around 1090 CE and regarded as one of the most important Shiva temples in eastern India. Among the most remarkable places to visit in Bhubaneswar are the 11th-century Rajarani Temple, famous for its sculpted celestial women, and the 10th-century Mukteshwar Temple, often called the “gem of Odisha architecture.” Both are exceptional examples of the Kalinga architectural style and feature prominently in every Bhubaneswar travel guide. Modern Bhubaneswar was planned as Odisha’s capital in 1948 by German architect Otto Koenigsberger. Today, the city combines ancient heritage with broad avenues, public institutions, and contemporary urban planning. Beyond its temples, some of the best things to do in Bhubaneswar include exploring the ancient Jain rock-cut caves of Udayagiri Caves and Khandagiri Caves, both dating back to the 2nd century BCE. The Odisha State Museum and the Tribal Museum are also essential stops for anyone planning to visit Bhubaneswar.