UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tamil Nadu
Three inscriptions cover Tamil Nadu's World Heritage, and one of them is itself three temples, the detail that separates right answers from close ones.
| Inscription | Components | Inscribed |
|---|---|---|
| Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas, Arjuna's Penance and cave temples (Pallava, 7th-8th c.) | 1984 |
| Great Living Chola Temples | Brihadisvara (Thanjavur), Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Airavatesvara (Darasuram) | 1987 (Thanjavur), extended 2004 |
| Nilgiri Mountain Railway | Part of the Mountain Railways of India inscription; Mettupalayam-Ooty rack railway | 2005 |
| Western Ghats (serial site) | Includes Tamil Nadu segments of the Ghats | 2012 |
Inscription years are asked as often as the sites: 1984 (Mahabalipuram), 1987 (Thanjavur, extended 2004), 2005 (Nilgiri Mountain Railway) and 2012 (Western Ghats).
Frequently asked questions
Which three temples form the Great Living Chola Temples?
Is the Nilgiri Mountain Railway a separate UNESCO site?
Related lists
Great Temples of Tamil Nadu
The temples TNPSC asks about: Brihadisvara and its builder, Madurai Meenakshi, Srirangam's scale, Rameswaram's corridors and Chidambaram's Nataraja.
Hill Stations of Tamil Nadu
Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Valparai, Kolli Hills and more, each hill station matched to its range and district the way TNPSC asks.
Districts of Tamil Nadu
All 38 districts of Tamil Nadu in one list, with the newest districts and their carve-outs, the way TNPSC asks them.
Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu
Every Chief Minister of Madras State and Tamil Nadu since 1946, with tenures, the exact list TNPSC draws sequence questions from.
Compiled from official Tamil Nadu government sources and standard references. Time-sensitive counts carry an as-of note on the page. Sources: TNPSC official notifications. Figures are indicative and may change with each official notification. Data last reviewed: July 2026.
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