Places you must visit in Bhubaneshwar in 2025

Located in the Khorda district Bhubaneshwar is the capital of the Indian state Odisha. Bhubaneshwar has been deemed the title of  Temple city due to the numerous temples that are present here.  Although the city has received its re-establishment as per the needs of a modern establishment. But a few parts of the city can be traced back to 1st century BCE. The place has always been an confluence of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain heritage.

In 1948, Bhubaneshwar replaced Cuttack as the capital. The modern rendition of Bhubaneshwar was designed by Otto Koingsberger in 1966. Along with a few other modern cities, such as Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, this city was one of the first preplanned cities. We have created this list of all the places that a traveller should visit while in Bhubaneshwar.

Bhubaneshwar has plenty of places that you can visit if you are planning to travel across the city, along with a wide range of temples. The place also has plenty of places that showcase cultural uniqueness and diversity. If you are planning to travel across the city we would recommend car rental services, as they provide ease of travelling and also help you save up on time. Catching autos and buses in Bhubaneshwar to travel around might be a challenge as these monuments are a little far off from one another.

Here is a list of monuments that every traveller should visit in Bhubaneshwar.   

Lingraaj Temple

Constructed on the orders of the 7th-century king Jajati Keshari, the temple is highly revered due to the belief that the main idol linga of Lord Shiva appeared here naturally. Rather than being placed by the king for prayers, the linga was seemingly already present when the temple was built. Further, the linga is about a height of 8 feet and has a diameter of about 8 feet as well. The architecture of the main temple compound is a beauty to behold as well. You can witness the edifying grandeur of the Indigenous oddisi style of architecture in its true form.  Further, you can also visit the Temple of Goddess Bhagvati, in the Northwest corner of the compound. The temple is located in the old part of the town and can be easily reached through Self Drive vehicles in Bhubaneshwar.

Regional Science Centre Bhubaneshwar

Established across a vast area of 8 acres of land, the centre was established in the year 1989. The whole aim behind the science centre has been to make science and innovation more approachable for people. The centre has three main galleries: Motion, Mathematics and Popular Science.  If you plan to travel along with your kids, this could be one of the best places as, through the various attractions, your kids can learn more about how science is a part of their daily lives.

Parasumeswra Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The temple is a must-visit for travellers who are interested in History. The Temple dates back to 650 AD and is primarily dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple also has idols of Yama, Lord Vishnu, and seven mother goddesses. The temple has many special attributes, but the main one is the allocation of about 100 lingas on the North western side of the premises. The opening hours for the temple are 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Chandabagha Beach in Bhubaneshwar

No travelling spree across the length and breadth of Bhubaneshwar could be complete without a visit to the Chnadrabagha Beach in Bhubaneshwar. The beach would provide you with a great opportunity to rest and have a stroll or take a dip into the waters. You can also plan to visit the Sun Temple of Konark which is right beside the beach as well.

The waves will surely soothe your faculties and help you relax. However, the waves here at the beach are sometimes a bit too high to swim, and we do not recommend that you do that. The beach is one of the best tourist spots to end your travelling spree throughout the city.

The tourist spots we have taken are spread across the map of the city, and if you plan to travel to all of them, it is imperative that either you hire a taxi or use road transport for travelling.  But beyond all these ways, we would recommend that you use Self Drive rentals in Bhubaneshwar as they would help you travel with ease without any issues or problems throughout the day,

Hirakud Dam

Built across Mahanadi River the foundation stone of the dam was laid by Sir Hawthorne Lewis, the then Governer of Odisha. A project report was submitted by the Government in June of 1947.  Considering the elite names that are attached to the development of the dam, this is a must-visit place that should be on the list of every traveller planning to travel through Bhubaneshwar. It was Mr Jawahrlal Nehru himself who laid the first batch of the Concrete on 2 April 1948.

The dam is of profound importance to cities and the power supply that feeds the power supply; the dam supports two Powerhouses. From the Horizon to Horizon, this dam forms the largest artificial lake in Asia, which is about 746 sq km.

Brahmeshwara Temple

The temple was erected in the 9th century CE, and its interior and exterior have been richly carved. The temple's date is based on the carvings and inscriptions that originally date back to earlier years.

The architecture of the temples are a mix of Kaling as well as Lingaya architectural styles. The shrine is a Panchayatana temple, featuring the main temple along with four other shrines at the four different corners of the complex.

What further makes this temple quite famous has to be the use of wood carving methods on the exterior of the temple in stone. For those who plan to travel to the temple, you must know that it has four parts: Vimana, Natamandira, Jagamohana, and Bhogamandapa. The walls of the Jagmohan sanctum have several carved designs of Odisha’s ancient art.

Mukteshwara Temple

Mukteshwara Temple in Bhubaneshwar represents the initiation of evolution in the architecture of Odisha. The temple was built during the 10th century AD, and the presiding deity was Lord Shiva. Due to its historic importance and grandeur, the temple is considered to be a gem. The intricate design of the ceiling is an interesting feature of the temple and represents the ideologies of the Somavamsi dynasty, which came to Odisha from Central India.

The Jagmohana entrance of the temple merges seamlessly with the sanctum sanctorium. The carvings all around the temple tell a story, and hence, you would also be able to witness a carving of a woman writing a letter. Historians consider the carvings to be a profound example of the representation of women in society during that period.

We highly recommend that you visit these places. If you seek convenience, we suggest that you opt for Self-Drive cars in Bhubaneshwar through RenTrip.