Bhopal, the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh is known as the City of Lakes for its various natural as well as artificial lakes and is also one of the greenest cities in India. The city is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, old historic city and modern urban planning.

Here is a list of top 15 places that are a must visit in the beautiful city of Bhopal:

1. Sanchi Stupa
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha. In the 1st century BCE, four elaborately carved ornamental gateways and a balustrade encircling the entire structure were added.

A pillar of finely polished sandstone was also erected and the old stupa was covered when it expanded. The pillar has an Ashokan inscription (Schism Edict) and an inscription in the ornamental Sankha Lipi from the Gupta period.

2. Bhimbetka rock shelters
The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site of the Paleolithic, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent and the beginning of the South Asian Stone Age. It is located in the Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, near Abdullaganj town and inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary.

The rock shelters and caves of Bhimbetka have a large number of paintings, the oldest of which are believed to be 30,000 years old. Vegetable colours have been used in these paintings.

3. Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum
The Museum of Tribal Heritage at Bhopal is spread across seven acres with the galleries being raised above the ground on columns, forming a continuous, multi-levelled veranda following the contours of the sloping, rocky terrain.

The architecture of the Museum is inspired by tribal rhythms, geometries, materials, forms and aesthetics and celebrates the ways of life practised by the seven major tribes in the state of Madhya Pradesh – the Gond, Bheel, Korku, Baiga, Sahariya, Kol and Bhariya through their artefacts. A couple of galleries showcase the state’s cultural diversity and the works of the tribals of Chhattisgarh.

4. Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park, located in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh covers an area of about 4.45 km2. It is developed and managed as a modern zoological park, following the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority.

It allows easy access to the visitors through a road passing through the park while ensuring the security of animals against poachers by building trenches, walls and chain-link fence. The animals are kept in their near natural habitat.

The wilderness of the park offers an ideal habitat for a number of avian fauna. About two hundred species of birds have been listed in different parts of Van Vihar. The park also preserves animals belonging to endangered species.

5. Moti Masjid
Moti Masjid or the Mosque of Pearls is considered an important landmark in the history of Muslim women in India. This religious shrine was built by Muslim ruler Sikander Begum in 1860. The architecture of the mosque resembles that of the famous Jama Masjid in Delhi though the former is relatively small.

Made using dark red bricks, the main edifice of the mosque has a marble facade while the main prayer hall is constructed with lustrous white marble that shimmers like a pearl and thus, the mosque got its name - The Pearl Mosque. Two red minarets with golden spiked cupolas stand proud at either side. Morning is the best time to visit the mosque since it is less crowded. There is no entry fee to visit Moti Masjid.

6. Bhojtal
Bhojtal, formerly popular as Upper Lake, is a large lake on the western side of the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal. It is a major source of drinking water for the residents of the city, serving around 40% of the residents with nearly 30 million imperial gallons of water per day. Bada talaab, along with the nearby Chhota Talaab constitute Bhoj Wetland, now a Ramsar site.

106 species of Macrophytes, 14 rare species and 208 species of Phytoplankton, 105 species of zooplanktons, 43 species of fish, 27 kinds of birds, 98 species of insect and more than 10 species of reptiles and amphibians (including 5 species of tortoise) inhabit the lake.

7. Taj-Ul-Masjid
Taj-ul-Masajid, one of the largest Mosques in India is situated in Bhopal and literally means "Crown among Mosques". The Mosque has a pink facade topped by two 18-storey high octagonal minarets with marble domes. The Mosque also has three huge bulbous domes, an impressive main hallway with attractive pillars and marble flooring resembling Mughal architecture the likes of Jama Masjid in Delhi and the huge Badshahi Mosque of Lahore.

The moque has a courtyard with a large tank in the centre and a double-storeyed gateway with four recessed archways and nine cusped multi-fold openings in the main prayer hall. The Quibla wall in the prayer hall is carved with eleven recessed arches and has fine screens of trellis work. The massive pillars in the hall hold 27 ceilings through squinted arches of which 16 ceilings are decorated with ornate petaled designs.

8. Bhopal Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal at Bhopal is a palace built by Sultan Shah Jahan, Begum of Bhopal. It is one of the largest palaces of the world built at that time. The architecture of Taj Mahal has British, French, Mughal, Arabic and Hindu influences. The palace contains 120 rooms, a hall of mirrors or sheesh mahal and the savon bhadon pavilion, an elaborate fountain like structure that simulated the effect of rain. The main entrance is a seven-storied structure.

The palace was part of a complex of buildings along the three lakes that includes the Benazir Palace, which was the begum's summer palace, and the Taj-ul-Masjid Mosque. The palace has been built in the Indo-Saracenic style and is kept cool by the winds blowing in from the lakes.

9. Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya - National Museum of Mankind
Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) or National Museum of Humankind or Museum of Man is an anthropology museum located in Bhopal. It is spread over an area of about 200 acres on the Shyamla Hills in the city and depicts the story of mankind in time and space.

The museum has a few permanent exhibitions such as Open-exhibitions, Indoor galleries (Veethi-Sankul and Bhopal Gallery) and Periodical/ Temporary exhibitions. It also has other exhibitions like Online exhibitions, Travelling exhibitions, Special exhibitions and Ongoing exhibitions.

Clusters of the open-air exhibitions including Tribal Habitat, Coastal Village, Desert Village, Himalayan Village, Mythological Trail, Traditional Technology Park have been partially developed and opened for the public.

10. Lakshmi Narayan temple
The Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Bhopal on the Aerea Hills has been built in honour of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and her divine consort, Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe. The temple also has an idol of Lord Shiva with his wide Parvati. The sandy yellowish colour of the structure reflects the ancient feel inside the temple and has a huge turret on one side.

The entrance to the temple is through a magnificent archway and the sprawling lawns surrounding the temple give it a picturesque appeal. Within the temple complex is the famous Birla Museum that houses a collection of sculptures from various districts of Madhya Pradesh including Mandasur, Shahdol, Sehore and Raisen that dates back to the 12th century.

11. Kerwa Dam
Kerwa dam is a popular picnic spot around 15kms from Bhopal. It covers an area of 69sq.kms including its catchment area. It is a multi-purpose dam used for generation of Hydro-electric power and developed as an eco-tourism site for people to spend their day enjoying the scenic nature, bird watching, adventure games and more.

12. Shaukat Mahal and Sadar Manzil
Situated at the entrance to the Chowk area in the heart of the city, the Shaukat Mahal and Sadar Manzil display a mix of Asian and Western styles of architecture in the traditional Islamic architecture of Bhopal. The Shaukat Mahal is a splendid palace of white alabaster and has a series of arches intricately carved and triangular in shape. Exquisite floral motives are carved on the exteriors of the palace that impart a very unique appearance to the palace.

The magnificent Shaukat Mahal has a large hall known as the Sadar Manzil. Surrounded by gardens, this brick-red structure looks very appealing and at present houses the headquarters of Bhopal Municipal Corporation.

13. Vardhaman Park
Brindaban Garden also known as Vardhaman Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Bhopal, located at a distance of 2.5 kms from Bhopal city center. The park has a rose garden and a well landscaped walk away with a breath taking view of the Upper Lake. The place is a favourite getaway destination for families, young couples, joggers and college students.

14. Bhadbhada Dam
The Bhadbhada Dam is a set of 11 sluice gates at the south-east corner of Upper lake in Bhopal. It was constructed in 1965. The gates are used to control the outflow of water from the lake to Kaliasote River and are usually opened only when the city receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon season. It has a full tank level of 1666.80 feet.

15. DB City Mall
DB City Mall has three basements and three on-floor parking lots. It spans over 125,000 square metres and is the largest shopping mall in central India. It has a three-floor Courtyard Marriott hotel and Audi showroom on its ground floor besides many stores including iNSPiRE Apple Premium Reseller, Fun Cinemas, Shoppers Stop, HyperCity, McDonald's, Domino's Pizza and many more.

DB City has been an important place for several promotional events in the recent years and is responsible for the entrance of many international brands into Bhopal. It also has a six-screen multiplex operated by Fun Cinemas.

Abundant natural beauty and rich and glorious past of the land attract tourists in great numbers and has made it a leading tourist destinations of India. The city with its beautiful lakes, mosques, palaces and scenic beauty is a must visit for travellers and anyone who likes learning about ancient history.