Punjab is well known for its ancient and historic structures that have been successful in safeguarding the cultural heritage and lavish architecture. A nostalgic charm of the bygone era is associated with them as well. These monuments attract the people from various parts of the world. There are several `Gurudwaras` or places of worship here. For instance, Golden Temple is described as the pride of Punjab. Moreover, some of the other popular monuments of this state are Sheesh Mahal, Old Motibagh Palace, Fort Museum, Durgiana Mandir, Sainik School of Kapurthala, Moorish Mosque, Bhatinda Fort and more. These are some of the major tourist attractions of the state of Punjab. The Darball Hall or the Divan Khana is a major ancient monument of this state. It was used for significant public occasions and large audiences.

Cities like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and others are dotted with historical monuments. A noticeable feature in these monuments of Punjab is their impressive architecture. The lavish carvings, rich stucco designs, decorated walls with the fusion of Islamic, Indian and western culture whisper stories of the state`s glorious past. The forts and palaces of Punjab talk about the lives and the lifestyles of the royal families. Several measurements have been undertaken by the government of Punjab towards the maintenance of these ancient buildings by declaring them as heritage monuments.

Amritsar houses Golden Temple and `Durgiana Mandir`. These are very famous monuments of the state and they reflect rich history of this city. There are some major Islamic and European sites here that hold some significance to the Sikh shrines. There is Govindgarh Fort, which was constructed in 1809 with the aid of French officers. Amritsar also has St Paul`s Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church and many missionary institutions.

Patiala, another popular city of Punjab, also has numerous interesting ancient buildings and monuments. Old Motibagh Palace of late 19th century, is one of the largest residencies in Asia, is located at this city. It reflects a combination of Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. There are near about 15 dining-rooms and a huge central saloon inside this palace. It has been now been transformed into a museum. Moreover, there is Sheesh Mahal or Hall of Mirrors. Other ancient monuments in Patiala include the Fort Museum, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Temple of Mahakali and Rajeswari, etc. In Kapurthala, which is another very popular city of the state of Punjab houses some of the most magnificent monuments. `Sainik School` is one of its famous monuments, which was formerly known as Jagatjit Palace. It was designed by French architect M. Marcel. Its construction began in 1900 and was completed in 1908. Elysee Palace or Jalaukhana, built by Kanwar Bikrama Singh is another popular monument of this place. Moorish Mosque is one of the magnificent monuments of Kapurthala. It took 13 years for the construction of this lavish building. It has been considered as a National Monument of the country by the Archaeological Survey of India. Some more famous heritages of Kapurthala comprise Panch Mandir (Five Temples) and the State Gurudwara.

Many of the principal buildings of Chandigarh, the state capital, were designed by Le Corbusier. The High Court, Secretariat, Assembly, Governor`s Palace and Museum, are some of the popular monuments of Chandigarh and they all are interesting instances of International Modern architecture designed by Le Corbusier. One of the highly impressive monuments of Chandigarh is `the Open Hand Chandigarh`s emblem`. Its structure resembles a giant open hand, which is made up of metal. It conveys the message of peace and tranquility among the humanity. It also symbolizes "open to give, open to receive". It is 85 feet above the ground. It also indicates symbolically the direction of wind and the surface of the hand is covered with the three colours of Indian flag. There is the Martyr`s Memorial, a popular monument to pay honour to the sufferers of the Punjab partition. Other striking monuments of Chandigarh consist of the Tower of Shadows and Geometric Hill.

Jalandhar district has historical connections which predate the invasion of Alexander the Great. But today, only two ancient tanks survive to prove to the existence of the primitive Aryan city. It was conquered by Ibrahim Shah of Ghazni and later, under the Mughal Empire, it was a town of considerable importance. The caravanserai built by Shaikh Karam Bakhsh in the year 1857 is noteworthy. Kalanaur, which is a small town in the state of Punjab, is the spot where Akbar received news of his father`s death and ascended to the Imperial throne. An impressive monument marks the place where he was proclaimed emperor. The town was a thriving centre from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The `Jhulna Mahal` is a peculiar arched wall, 40 feet long and 10 feet high, is an attraction of this city.

Monuments of Punjab clearly depict the history of this state at different phases of the past. Different cities of this state have different history associated with them and that is what gets reflected through the lavish monuments of Punjab.