Chandigarh, endowed with magnificent backdrop of the Shivaliks, sparkling gardens and a planned township, is one of the most beautiful and glamorous cities of India. With its lush green surroundings, blooming gardens, shady trees, wide roads, excellent communications and the most charming people, the city surely stands up to its name as the City Beautiful. Chandigarh was conceived as the first planned city of independent India in the early 1950s. Declared the common capital of the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh is probably the cleanest and most pollution-free city in India. Natural beauty coupled with a multicultural population has given rise to an impressive line-up of gardens, galleries, museums complimented by some outstanding architecture. Chandigarh is the 1st planned modern city of India designed by the French architect Le Corbusier. Chandigarh and the area surrounding it were constituted as a union territory on 1st November, 1966. It serves as the joint capital of both, Punjab and Haryana states. It is bounded on the north and west by Punjab and east and south by Haryana. Total area of the union territory is 114Sq.Km

Places to Visit :-

Rock Garden:-
The creator of the Rock Garden, Nek Chand, was a Road Inspector in the Engineering Department of Chandigarh Capital Project. Since the site where Rock Garden stands today was also used as a dumping ground, Nek Chand took pieces of waste and shaped them into human, animal or abstract forms. The layout of the Garden is based on the fantasy of a lost kingdom. An unpretentious entrance leads to a variety of doorways, archways, vestibules, streets and lanes of different scales and dimensions, each one opening into a new chamber. The Rock Garden has 14 different chambers, all juxtaposed to create a dream world of palaces, soldiers, monkeys, village life, women and temples.

Sukhna Lake:-
This picturesque man-made lake, in the foothills of Shivalik range, is an idyllic resort for communing with nature and for water sports such as boating and water skiing. Sukhna is also a sanctuary for many migratory birds like the Siberian duck, Storks and Cranes. A golf course and mini zoo are to the south.

Leisure Valley:-

It traverses the heart of the city as a continuum of various theme gardens. Along the Valley, various parks like Rajendra park, Bougainvillaea Park, Fitness Trails and the Flower Garden, Shanti Kunj, Children's Traffic Park, Hibiscus Garden, Garden of Fragrance have come up.

Rose Garden:-
30 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens contain nearly 1600 varieties of roses. The Rose Festival is held here during spring.

Terraced Garden:-
Spread over 10 acres, seasonal flowers are grown here in terraced parterres. The garden has a wealth of material for students of botany.

Chandigarh Golf Club:-
The 18 hole, par 72 course, of manicured fairways and greens, is designed to be a challenge for the most adept golfer.

Access:

By Air

Chandigarh has an airport just 11kms away from the City Centre. Indian Airlines connect the city with other major cities like Mumbai , Delhi, Jammu, and Amritsar.

By Road

The city can boast of an excellent road-network. It is also conveniently located within motor-able distance from a number of major cities of North India. National Highways 21 and 22 run through the city. Near perfect road condition and breathtaking views on either side of the road offers a pleasant drive.

By Rail

The rail network serves the city conveniently. Chandigarh Railway Station is about 8kms from the City Centre. Important trains like the Shatabdi Express and the Himalayan Queen service the e city on a regular basis.