Located at a distance of 13 km from Mathura, Vrindavan is another famous pilgrimage spot in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is considered one of the most religious cities in India due to the occurrence of Lord Krishna’s birth in the region. As a result, his followers made numerous temples that are dedicated to him and serves as a place of worship for his devotees. These temples have magnificent architecture from the exterior and interior and each of them are worth visiting. Here’s a list of some of the best tourist places to visit in Vrindavan.

One of the most popular temples in Vrindavan is the Banke Bihari Mandir, where the presiding God is Lord Krishna. This temple is one of the 7 temples of the Thakur of Vrindavan where Lord Krishna in the temple was worshipped by Haridas Swami in the name of Kunji-bihari. The temple’s architecture has a Rajasthani architecture style that is adorned with beautifully arched windows and intricate stonework. The image of Lord Krishna that is depicted is that from his childhood and stands in the Tribhanga position. During the festivals of Holi and Janmashthami, this temple is decorated and a lot of devotees flock here to take part in the celebrations.

Prem Mandir is a religious complex in Vrindavan that is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple was constructed and established by Guru Kripalu Maharaj in 2001 and was open to the public in 2012. The presiding shrine in the temple is that of Shri Radha Govind and Sri Sita Ram. The temple is two storied and sits over a 54 acre land. From the outside, the temple looks absolutely beautiful and is made of white marble and has beautiful fountains and gardens inside the premises. Every evening the temple organizes a musical light show to keep its visitors entertained along with kirtans played in the background.

The ISKCON Temple in Vrindavan, also known as Sri-Krishna Balaram Mandir is a very famous Krishna temple in this city. The temple is made with white marble and has three sanctums. The central shrine of the temple houses Lord Krishna-Balaram and to the right of the temple is Radha-Krishna with Vishaka and Lalita. The main festival that is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm is Janmashthami; this is the time the temple is brimming with devotees from all over the country as well as followers of Lord Krishna from outside India.

Built in 1860, the Shahji Temple in Vrindavan is dedicated to Lord Krishna and was built by Shah Kundan, a wealthy jeweler from Lucknow. The presiding deity in this temple is known as Chote Radha Raman and is a form of Lord Krishna. The temple is sculpted in marble and has a unique style of architecture. Inside the temple you will find a room called Basant Kamra where there are Belgian glass chandeliers and the walls are etched with beautiful paintings. You will also find paintings that depict Lord Krishna’s life story in a beautiful manner. This room is open to public only twice a year, but you can always have a sneak peak from the window.

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi, the construction of Sri Ranganatha Temple in Vrindavan began in 1845 by Seth Radha Krishna and in 1851 it was complete. This temple is one of the largest in Vrindavan and is surrounded by walls that are high. The temple houses several deities including Sita Rama and Lakshmana, Venugopal and Lord Narasimha. The temple has a combination of South Indian and Dravidian style of architecture and has a 50 feet gold plated Dhwaja Stambha, which is unique. Within the temple premises, you can also find a beautiful garden and a temple tank. Also, at the entrance gate of the temple, there is a small museum and an electronic puppet show that can be enjoyed especially if you are going with children.

Built by Raja Mansingh, the Govind Devji Temple was built in 1590 and costed almost ten million rupees. It is a marvelous temple that has seven floors dedicated to Govind Dev, a form of Lord Krishna. Most of the temple was destroyed by the Mughals in 1670 and now only three floors are functional. The architecture of the structure is unique and has influences of Western, Hindu and Muslim styles. Also in the interior of the temple, the ceiling has a sculpted lotus that weighs quite a few tons. During Holi and Janmashthami, the temple is well decorated and attracts a lot of crowd from around the country.

Sri Radha Damodar Mandir was established in 1542 AD by Srila Jiva Goswami. The deity presiding in this temple is Sri Radha Damodar that was gifted to Srila Jiva Goswami by his guru, for which he constructed this temple. He also established a library in the same premises where he kept all the old manuscripts that came down the generations in the Goswami family. There is a Giriraj Shila inside the temple that has a footprint of Lord Krishna and is brought out and exhibited to the public during the Kartika season so that devotees can worship it.

Originally known as Madana Gopala, the Madan Mohan Temple was built by Sanatana Goswami. The main shrine here is Lord Madan Gopala and has a very impressive structure. The temple is built in red sandstone and is oval in shape; it is also 20 m high and has a tomb at the back of the temple. It is said that Santana Goswami would go and beg on the streets and bring back flour, which he would cook with water and offer that to Lord Madan Mohan; till date this food item is offered to the Lord in the temple.