Ahmedabad has several floridly carved historic monuments including the Stepwell at Adalaj and the Rani Mosques (dedicated to Rani Sipri and Rani Rupmati). It is also home to many fine museums and art galleries. Modern office buildings and malls dot the more recently developed areas.
Important places to see include:
Swaminarayan Temple
Gandhi Aashram Located near Vadaj, the Sabarmati Aashram was once house of Mahatma Gandhi. The ashram was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1915, and today without doubt, it is the biggest tourist attraction in Ahmedabad. It lies on the tranquil stretch of the Sabarmati river and was referred to as the Satyagraha Ashram during the lifetime of the Mahatma. It was from here, that the Mahatma began his famous 'Dandi March' in 1930 to protest against the Salt Tax imposed by the British. One can see the three wise monkeys and many more of Gandhiji's teachings at the ashram premises. The ashram today continues the work started by Mahatma and houses a handicrafts centre, a handmade paper factory and a spinning wheel factory. Besides, there are several other attractions for the tourist.
Sidi Sayed Mosque, Sidi Sayed Mosque is unique for its exquisite screens, which are praised for their amazing Jhali screen, framed, in the ten semi-circular windows. The screen carved out of one rock is just exceptional. A visit to this superb and outstanding example of delicate carving is an absolute must.
Bhadra Fort, To add special charm to the varied sights of the city there is the Bhadra Fort, which once housed royal palaces and well-laid gardens. It boasts the temple of Bhadrakali and was built in 1411 during the Maratha rule.
Heritage Houses of poles, A living heritage, the structures are 200-400 years old and the people living in there are original ahmedabadi families and they still live there traditions. Souvener shop there where you could see all local crafts. There is an old world charm created in a huge house which is like a palace. Address: house No: 1765, Dhobini pole Khadia, Khadia old get Khadia ahmedabad. Call: 9979873283
Akshardham Temple, Rich and Wonderful architecture. Located in Gandhinagar, about 20 km from Ahmedabad. Temple will be closed on Monday. Otherdays you can visit from 10 to 6
Science City, Newly built Science City is one latest happening place in the city
Vaishnodevi Temple, Replica of famous Vaishnodevi temple located at Sola Gandhinagar Highway.
Amar dham, This religious site is known for its architectural grandeur.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple, This hindu temple depicts Krishna, and his lover, Radha, who is regarded as the personification of love.
Kankaria Lake. A circular lake built in 1451 by Sultan Qutub-ud-Din. In the centre of the lake is an island garden with a summer palace known as Nagina Wadi. It has a very beautiful Musical Fountain show (although the music isn't too good, the lights and fountain are worth a trip). The lake is a popular recreation centre surrounded by parks, 'Bal Vatika' - an aquarium, a boat club, a natural history museum and a zoo.
Kamla Nehru Zoo This is near to Kankaria Lake and one of the best zoos in India.
Law Garden, Considered the main center of activity in Ahmedabad, one can purchase handcrafts and traditional Gujarati outfits, amongst other things.
Sarkhej Roja, This is a small city located 10km southwest of Ahmedabad. It is widely known for its architectural complexes.
Hathisingh Jain Temple, Shahibaug Road. An impressive white structure, the Jain temple built of white marble and elaborately carved is dedicated to Dharmanath - the 15th Jina or Jain Apostle. Similar to all Jain temples, this temple to is rich in intricate carvings displaying, among other things, musicians.
Hathi Singh Jain Temple
Calico Textile Museum. One of the finest textile museums in the world in one of Gujarat's famous carved wooden havelis. The museum displays a magnificent collection of rare textiles dating back to the 17th century. There is also an excellent reference library on textiles. Located in the Sarabhai Foundation, in Shahibagh the Calico Museum of Textiles, widely regarded as one of the finest textile museums in the world was constructed in 1949. It has the finest collection of not just textiles and clothes but also furniture, temple artifacts and crafts in the country. It has no less than five centuries of the finest fabrics spun, woven, printed and painted in different parts of India. It has a collection of marble, sandstone and bronze icons and busts split in two thematic sections- gallery for religious textiles and historical textiles. An excellent reference library on textiles is found here.
Juma Masjid, (mosque). It is amongst the most popular tourist sights in the city. Built of yellow sandstone this mosque stands on 260 pillars which support 15 domes at varying elevations. The mosque was built by Ahmad Shah in 1423. It is easily accessible as it stands in the centre of the old city. This imposing structure reflects the Muslim architecture of that period.
Jama Masjid
Jhulta Minara, Quite an unusual structure, Jhulta Minara or swaying minarets are a part of the mosque of Siddi Bashir and can be moved back and forth by applying a little force at the topmost arch. One of the minarets was partly demolished by an Englishman in his endeavors to unravel the mystery of the swaying minarets. The mosque was built by master craftsmen and the crucial mechanism that leads to the vibration is still a mystery. The other interesting fact here is that these minars stand the test of the rumbling trains that pass not very far away from them.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), in Vastrapur, one of the best B-School of Management in India was built by Louis Kahn and is a wonderful architectural creation.
Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), is a statutory university established by the Govt. of Gujarat through the Gujarat National Law University Act, 2003. This University is based in the city of Gandhinagar, which is the capital of Gujarat and is located 30 kilometers north of Ahmedabad.
Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, is one of the oldest performing arts academies in the city. Its amphitheater Natarani has a fabulous performance venue overlooking the Sabarmati river and is one of the few places to bring internationally acclaimed performing artists to the city.
Ahmedabad Metal Scene, One of the best underground metal scene, unknown to residents of gujarat.
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum, It is one of the best arts displaying museum in city. It has a wide collection of Indian miniature paintings, stone sculptures, terracotta, paintings of Tagore, art of Nepal and Tibet, bronzes, textiles, wood work, cloth paintings, metal sculptures, coins. A must see museum in Ahmedabad city.
L. D. Institute of Indology, Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology was established in Ahmedabad by Muni Shri Punyavijayji and Shri Kasturbhai Lalbhai. The museum houses priceless collection of books, manuscripts and other reference material from ancient India.The museum is a treasure trove of manuscripts relating to Jainism. In all there are about 45,000 printed books with 75,000 manuscripts including out of which 500 are illustrated ones. These documents from the past cover a wide range of subjects like Vedas, Agamas, Buddhism, Tantras, Jain Darshana, System of Indian Philoshy, Jaina Philoshpy, Grammer and Poetics etc.The institute has also published seven volumes of catalogues in languages like Hindi, Sanskrit, Old Gujrati, Prakrit and Rajasthani. The institute also conducts periodical workshops on manuscriptology and paleography. It can be learning experience if you get to attend these workshop.
Nirma University, It is a private university developed by the legendary businessman Mr. Karsanbhai Patel, founder of one of the biggest Indian FMCG house Nirma. The campus of the university, which is spread in about 100 acres is worth a visit. You would also like to see the internal infrastructure and the overall administration of the university, that puts it in line with any international university. It is located at S. G. Highway about 20 km distance from the heart of the city - C. G. Road.
Swaminarayan Gurukul, It is a residential and day boarding school run by the Swaminarayan faith of Hinduism. The infrastructure and the education systems are worth watching. On the first look of the main school building, you may feel that you are visiting some ancient palace of a powerful king. The school teaches not only formal education but also provides training in horse-riding, archery, dairy development, Yoga, Ayurveda, etc. After your visit, you may feel like putting you own child in this school.
S. G. Highway, or Sarkhej - Gandhinagar Highway, the recently developed hub of entertainment in Ahmedabad, is worth putting in couple of evening for. From fun and movies at Fun Republic and Wide Angle or R-World to temples like Mini Vaishnow Devi Temple and ISKON temple, you will find almost everything that you need for entertainment. The same highway leads you to Gandhinagar as well, where you can visit Akshardham temple and many other places of interest.
Dada Hari ni Vav (step well)
Veechar Utensil Museum, the only museum in the country showcasing over 3000 utensils used by the various households in India. It's a personal collection of Mr. Surendra Patel who has curated and designed the museum. The museum is a part of Vishalla, a restaurant serving ethnic Gujarati Food. It's a magnificent museum showcasing a very different culture of India.
National Insitute of Design, India's Premier Design Institute with over 16 disciplines of Design.
Le Corbusier's Mill Owners' Institute
Auto World Vintage Car Museum, Shri Pranlal Bhogilal is a connoisseur of vintage cars. He has converted his private collection of vintage cars into a museum named Auto World Vintage Car Museum at Dastan Farm House. The Museum has a collection of more than 100 cars. The cars are amazing and lovely. One could find all the best cars of the world – Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Jaguar, Cadillacs, Austin, Chrysler, Lincoln, Ford and many many more. Each car is in a perfect driving condition. In fact, you can even drive them by paying a hefty fee – Rs 500 for 3.5 km drive in a historic car.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Ahmedabad
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Ahmedabad - updated May 2024
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Ahmedabad Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
