Best places to Visit in Patna are Choti Dargah, Iconic Golghar, Jalan Museum, Ancient Patna Museum etc. The city of Patna, also known as Pataliputra, has a long and colourful history. At various points in time, it was ruled by powerful kingdoms, prized for its fertile land (it is located on the south bank of the famous Ganges River), and renowned for its educational institutions like Nalanda.
Today, it stands out as one of India’s cities with the fastest growth rates. Here is a list of the Places to visit in Patna, It is practically impossible for a city with at least 2500 years of history to not have interesting places you could explore. When you visit Patna, you are welcomed with a city full with fascinating tales, intriguing architecture, and an unfailing sense of hospitality.
Table of Contents
9 Places to Visit in Patna With Friends
Explore the City Patna With LgsTravellers and enjoy the Blog.
1. Choti Dargah (places to Visit in Patna)
The Choti Dargah of Maner, one of the best and least well-known Mughal structure in India, is located only 32 kilo meters west of Patna. The mausoleum, a magnificent three-story building, was built in 1616 in memory of the Sufi saint Makhdoom Shah Daulat, who died in Maner and was laid to rest here.
Its stunning dome, which is flanked by four minarets with twelve sides, ancient walls decorated with exquisite motifs, and ceilings inscribed with phrases from the Quran make for a sight to remember.
Location: Maner
Timings: NA
Entry Fee: Free
2. Golghar, Patna (places to Visit in Patna)
It’s safe to say that this striking beehive-shaped building tops the list of places to see in Patna as the city’s most recognisable landmark. Golghar, a unique whitewashed dome with a spiral staircase, was constructed in 1786 as a granary for the British army stationed in the city.
It was the brainchild of Captain John Garstin. The massive dome, which is 125 metres in diameter and 29 metres high, is supported by no pillars at all, which is the most incredible feature of this building.
Golghar was intended to be the first of several identical buildings that would act as a safeguard against the region’s frequent famines. Since none of the other “golghars” were ever constructed, Patna now has a one-of-a-kind structure that is a must-see.
Location: Ashok Rajpath, Chhajju Bagh
Timings: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, all days
Entry Fee: Free
3. Patna Museum
The Patna Museum is housed in a grand building that was built in 1917 specifically for the museum that Sir Edward Gait, the then Lieutenant Governor of Bihar, founded. It was built as a location to showcase notable historical and archaeological discoveries made in and around the city, and it now houses over 20,000 exhibits.
While you’re here, pay attention to the fossilised remains of a 200-million-year-old tree known as a Dadoxylon, the Buddha Relic Casket, a soapstone urn believed to hold the ashes of Mahatma Buddha, the 2300-year-old Didarganj Yakshi, an ancient sculpture, and the museum’s various galleries, like the Natural History Gallery, which would be especially fascinating if you’re travelling with children.
Location: Near Kotwali Thana, Budh Marg
Timings: 10:00 am – 4:30 pm (closed on Mondays)
Entry Fee: 15
4. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna
The Khuda Bakhsh Public Library in Patna has an incredible amount of books, including ones on Persian poetry, Sufism, ancient medical texts, and the military memoirs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Timur Nama, and Jehangir Nama. This one of India’s few national libraries, which houses numerous priceless hand-illustrated manuscripts, printed books, and exquisite paintings from the Rajput and Mughal eras, came as a surprise to many people.
The library’s two-story building was constructed in 1888 with a princely sum of 80,000 and opened to the public in 1891. This should definitely be on your list of places to visit while in Patna because it is a bibliophile’s paradise.
Location: Ashok Rajpath
Timings: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm, open all days, except Friday
Entry Fee: Free
5. Jalan Museum (places to Visit in Patna)
Would you believe us if we told you that a Patna museum contains the bed from Napoleon (yes, THAT Napoleon)? Along with items made of Chinese jade and porcelain from the Han and Ching dynasties, a silver dinner set with a thali thought to have belonged to Birbal, the prime minister of Emperor Akbar, Tipu Sultan’s ivory palanquin, and a cabinet built for King Henry II of France, this collection also includes.
All of these delightful discoveries and more can be found in RK Jalan’s eclectic private collection, which he amassed over the course of his lifetime.
Jalan was a well-known businessman from Patna. The collection, which covers continents and centuries, is on display at the family’s private home called Quila House (this is not actually a museum!). It is a definite must-see attraction in the city.
Location: Haji Ganj
Timings: 9:00 am -11:00 am (Monday to Saturday); 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Sunday)
Entry Fee: Free
6. Ruins of Pataliputra (places to Visit in Patna)
The ruins of Pataliputra, the city that came before the present-day Patna, are located not far from the latter. The ruins of the city that was ruled by the three legendary kings Ajatshatru, Chandragupta, and Ashoka are now all that remain, along with sandstone pillars, wooden platforms that may have served as walkways, the bricks that made up the foundation of a Buddhist monastery, and carved stone pieces.
The ruins, which have been discovered at various times, demand that you use your imagination to envision what a magnificent city it once was. This is a location worth visiting while you are in Patna due to the size of the structures, many possible uses for them, and simply the pride in our rich history.
Location: Kumrahar
Timings: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm all days
Entry Fee: 5
7. Nalanda Mahavihara, (places to Visit in Patna)
One of the country’s first universities, Nalanda was a highly regarded centre of learning in ancient India. It served as a haven for students from these countries as well as Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia. Between 685 and 762 AD, the famous Chinese scholar and traveller Hsuan-tsang paid the university a visit and studied the Vedas, logic, and metaphysics as well as Buddhist theology.
Nalanda thrived from the fifth century AD to the year 1200 AD and was generously supported by the kings of the Gupta Empire. One of the most significant centres of learning, Nalanda is thought to have three huge archives that were so large that they burned for six months during the 1193 attack on the monastery by the walking armies of Islamist invaders.
Location: Near Bihar Sharif town, Nalanda district
Timings: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, open all days, except Friday
Entry Fee: 15
Fees for Video Camera: 25
8. Srikrishna Science Centre
One of Patna’s top science museums is the Srikrishna Science Centre. It was opened on April 14th, 1978, and is named after Sri Krishna Singh, the first Chief Minister of Bihar. For the science center’s opening, Shri Thakur Prasad Singh, Minister of Education, attended.
It is one of the top science museums in Patna. This museum is located in the southwestern corner of the Gandhi Maidan. Visitors can enjoy their time checking out the various science installations.
Location: West Gandhi Maidan, Raja Ji Salai, Dujra Diara, Patna, Bihar 800001.
Price: INR 30.
9. Bihar Museum (places to Visit in Patna)
Bihar Museum is one of the famous attractions in Patna built to provide insights into the history of Bihar and inculcate a sense of respect and pride in the hearts of the current generation. The museum is a recent addition to the list of attractions in the city.
One of the main reasons for establishing the museum was to create more space to house and exhibit artefacts since the century-old Patna Museum is running out of space. Since there was little scope to relocate installed artefacts, the decision of keeping the focus on Human History was taken. Bihar museum spreads over an area of 5.6 hectares of land and has a total built-up area of 24,000 square meters.
Timings : 10:30 AM – 05:00 PM
Time Required : (10:30 AM to 01:00 PM) – (01:30 PM to 05:30 PM)
Entry Fee : Children: INR 50Adults: INR 100Foreigners: INR 500
FOR MORE TRAVEL BLOG VISIT @lgstravellers