Awantipora

Srinagar & the Kashmir Valley


Beside the Srinagar–Jammu highway in Awantipora, 30km south of Srinagar, lies the chunky ruins of the 9th-century Avantiswamin Temple. The stone blocks are massive, with numerous column bases, but most carvings have long since been defaced, making the entry fee seriously overpriced. The essentially similar but even less complete Avantisvara Shiva Temple, 1km further north, can be visited for free.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Srinagar & the Kashmir Valley attractions

1. Cheshmashahi Garden

13.37 MILES

En route to Pari Mahal you'll pass the small Cheshmashahi Garden, folded amid the wooded mountain foothills. Its central feature is a square fountain pool…

2. Pari Mahal

13.41 MILES

Pari Mahal (literally 'Palace of the Fairies') is a 17th-century former Sufi centre built by the eldest son of Shah Jahan. The terraced lawns and arched…

3. Botanical Garden

13.94 MILES

Less formal and not quite as busy as many of the older Mughal gardens, the Botanical Gardens have some well-maintained lawns and a wide variety of tree…

4. Tulip Garden

14.21 MILES

Crowds throng Asia’s biggest Tulip Garden, just behind the Botanical Garden, during March and April. Its long, straight rows of blooming tulips (60…

5. Shankaracharya Mandir

14.52 MILES

On top of thickly forested Shankaracharya Hill, this small Shiva temple is built from hefty blocks of ancient grey stone. Previously known as Takht-i…

6. Char-i-Sharif

14.74 MILES

This sprawling hilltop pilgrimage town celebrates Kashmir’s ‘patron saint’ Sheikh Nuraddin-Wali (1377–1438). His shrine is covered by a vast new mosque…

7. First Row Houseboats

15.11 MILES

For guests, the first-row houseboats can prove noisy and lacking in privacy. However, as an attraction they collectively form Srinagar's signature image.

8. Sri Pratap Singh Museum

15.22 MILES

It's worth visiting this richly endowed historical museum for its fine 7th-century Buddhist statues, Mughal paper mache work, 4th-century tiles from the…