Chandigarh Capitol Complex

Chandigarh Capitol Complex
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Palace of Assembly at the Capitol Complex
Official nameComplexe du Capitole
LocationChandigarh, Chandigarh capital region, India
Part ofThe Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
IncludesPalace of Assembly, Secretariat Building, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Open Hand Monument
CriteriaCultural: (i), (ii), (vi)
Reference1321rev-014
Inscription2016 (40th Session)
Area66 ha (0.25 sq mi)
Buffer zone195 ha (0.75 sq mi)
Coordinates30°45′33″N 76°48′17″E / 30.75917°N 76.80472°E / 30.75917; 76.80472
Chandigarh Capitol Complex is located in India
Chandigarh Capitol Complex
Location of Chandigarh Capitol Complex in India

Chandigarh Capitol Complex, located in sector-1 of Chandigarh city in India, is a government compound designed by the architect Le Corbusier and his co-workers[1][2] and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3] It is spread over an area of around 100 acres and is a prime manifestation of Chandigarh's architecture. It comprises three buildings: the Palace of Assembly or Legislative Assembly, Secretariat Building and the High Court plus four monuments (Open Hand Monument, Geometric Hill, Tower of Shadows and the Martyrs Monument) and a lake.[4][5][6][7][8] It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 2016 along with sixteen other works by Le Corbusier for its contribution to the development of modernist architecture.[9]

Le Corbusier designed the "Tower of Shadows", an experimental construction, in such a way that not a single ray of sun enters it from any angle. The north side of this tower remains open because the sun never shines from this direction.[10][11] Le Corbusier used the same principle for other Capitol Complex buildings as well.[12]

  1. ^ José Oubrerie: Notes on The Palace of the Assembly and Museum at Chandigarh., In: DrawingMatter, 18 July, 2020, retrieved 17 April, 2024.
  2. ^ "Le Corbusier's Capitol Complex a mess, in dire need of facelift". indianexpress.com. 10 March 2011. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Chandigarh's Capitol Complex is now a UNESCO heritage site". 18 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Chandigarh's Capitol Complex is now a UNESCO heritage site: All you need to know". hindustantimes.com. 18 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. ^ "Capitol Complex, as Le Corbusier wanted it, remains incomplete – Indian Express". indianexpress.com. 19 June 2010. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  6. ^ "The most planned city?". 9 February 2009. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  7. ^ "UNESCO approves all 3 Indian nominations for heritage tag". intoday.in. Archived from the original on 19 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Four sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 15 July 2016. Archived from the original on 16 July 2016. Retrieved 15 July 2016.
  9. ^ "The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  10. ^ Tower of Shadows, In: architexturez.net
  11. ^ Tower of Shadows., In: "Hidden Architecture"
  12. ^ Maria Thuroczy: The Tower of Shadows., In: "Architectuul", March 31st, 2014, Retrieved 17 April, 2024.