The Hipster Chandigarh Architecture History Tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Le Corbusier's Burutalist Architecture Day 1
9 stops
1
Capitol Complex
Insider-guided access to the UNESCO World Heritage site at the Capitol Complex, featuring the Secretariat, the Assembly Hall, and the Open Hand Monument, which exemplify brutalist concrete forms, innovative spatial dynamics, and symbolic urban planning. Get exclusive access to restricted areas (subject to daily political variables), including the Assembly’s legislative chambers, rare archival drawings, maps, historical constructional insights and gain technical insights into Le Corbusier’s design principles, structural innovations, and urban theories, enriched with expert analysis. Entry is subject to local political conditions.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
2
Le Corbusier Centre
Guided insider tour of the old architects' building, now a museum / memorial center dedicated to Le Corbusier. See with visual demonstrations of the first attempt at a green, sustainable and naturally cooled building in the brutalist architecture era and rare documents, letters, maps, and plans of Chandigarh's formation.
50 minutes • Admission ticket included
3
An insider, guided, private tour of the heart of the University, one of the most recognizable structures of Chandigarh, designed by Pierre Jeanneret. Observe how the distinctive spinning lotus-shaped roof cuts sunlight, surrounded by a reflective pool, which eliminates the need for air conditioning even today. Learn about Jeanneret's design principles and the building's role as a hub for academic and cultural activities.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
4
Chandigarh Architecture Museum
Insider, guided tour of our homage to Le Corbusier’s 1965 Zurich Pavilion, this raw concrete form and tubular stairway set the stage for Chandigarh’s modernist saga. We’ll explore three levels of rare exhibits, starting with the basement’s 1947 Partition archives, showcasing Albert Mayer and Matthew Nowicki’s early plans through original maps. The second level unveils Le Corbusier’s vision, with blueprints, models, and unbuilt designs like the Museum of Knowledge, crafted with Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew, and Maxwell Fry. On the third, see Chandigarh’s evolution, including Jeanneret’s furniture and his recreated living room. With insider access, you’ll view restricted sketches and tapestries, offering a personalized glimpse into this UNESCO city’s creation. Tickets already included, no waiting in lines!
1 hour • Admission ticket included
5
Get insider up and close access to the crowning jewel symbol of Chandigarh, a symbol of peace and unity and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hear the story of Le Corbusier's vision, and if you're lucky on a windy day see the hand gently sway with the wind, embodying flexibility and openness. Click pictures and give a speech in the assembly pit, next to the judiciary and the legislation of Chandigarh. Hear the real story behind this sight - is it still used to its original purpose?
25 minutes • Admission ticket included
6
Get insider, personalized guided access through this sculptural landscape. Designed as part of the Capitol Complex, Geometric Hill’s grid-like earth mounds and concrete forms embody Le Corbusier’s fascination with geometry and nature’s harmony. Guests will explore its precise alignments, inspired by his Modulor system, and learn how it contrasts with Chandigarh’s organic urban grid. The tour includes insights into its symbolic role as a meditative space within the administrative hub. Hear the story of the never-completed structure here, the untold story of political turmoil, its original designed purpose vs current use.
20 minutes • Admission ticket included
7
Get an insider, expert guide through this open-air concrete structure designed by Le Corbusier as a "demo" building to study the solar movement. The Tower of Shadows showcases Le Corbusier’s obsession with light and climate-responsive design, using geometric forms to cast precise shadows. Guests will explore its minimalist framework, learning how it embodies his principles of environmental harmony and the Modulor system. Get insights into its role as a functional yet symbolic piece within Chandigarh’s modernist landscape. One of the most iconic photographic spots in all of Chandigarh!
15 minutes • Admission ticket included
8
Insider tour
40 minutes • Admission ticket included
9
Get a rare visit to the first house constructed in Chandigarh turned museum. Originally the residence of Pierre Jeanneret for 11 years, a key collaborator of Le Corbusier, this house showcases his innovative design principles. Built-in the 1950s, Maison Jeanneret reflects the modernist architecture characteristic of Chandigarh's urban planning, featuring clean lines, open spaces, and functional design. I'll take you through the meticulously preserved interiors, where you'll find mid-century modern furniture designed by Jeanneret himself. The minimalist aesthetic and use of local materials like teak wood highlight his practical yet elegant approach. You'll also see rare photographs, sketches, and personal artifacts that provide a glimpse into Jeanneret's life & his pivotal role in shaping Chandigarh. We will get rare access to the garden and verandas which reflect his architectural philosophy of integrating indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly. Tickets are already included!
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew & Maxwell Fry's Design & Urban Planning Day 2
6 stops
10
Sukhna Lake
Gentle walkaway at the manmade lake designed by Corbusier, made to refresh the groundwater and cool the northern sectors of the city. Hear the incredible story of the lake's creation, to its evolution as the ground zero for migratory birds across continents & fitness rituals by the residents while we walk by the stunning views of the foothills of the Himalayas
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
11
Walk and talk in the often-ignored commercial designs of Corbusier in the heart of the city, where commerce, culture, and community converge. We will take the shaded tree-lined walkways, do people watching by the fountains, and see local artists perform at open spaces, blending brutalist concrete with green landscapes. Bask in the immense pride of how much locals utilize these public spaces, despite a constant struggle of gentrifying the city, and how the well-oiled machinery just works!
1 hour • Admission ticket free
12
A solemn walk through the poignant tribute park tucked within the Bougainvillea Garden of Sector 3, where architectural subtlety meets profound historical resonance. Conceived by Lt. Gen. J.F.R. Jacob and designed by students, this sunken, spiral arena honors over 10,500 martyrs from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh who were martyred post-Independence. We talk about the political history of the city as we walk by the metallaitc eternal flame memorial, and see the citizen-funded park & discuss citizens' involvement in keeping the city running.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
13
Chandigarh
Private, very RARE, access through a walking guided tour of Pierre Jeanneret’s public socialist housing in Chandigarh (subject to local variables), still functional in its original stance. Having lived personally in these housings for over two decades, we'd talk of its genius but simple sunlight protective design, cost-cutting & communal living spaces and talk about its evolution over the decades.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
14
Guided tour of this 1960's heritage museum designed by Le Corbusier, which houses artifacts from the pre-partition era from Pakistan, including one of the world's largest collections of Greco-Buddhist art objects, paintings, and sculptures.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
15
Insider, guided tour of the most ignored rarely known private yacht club for recreational boating & socializing designed by Corbusier mere a year before his death. Explore the architectural design of what was once the ground zero for testing homemade self-designed boats by Corbusier & Jeannert, now a luxurious gym, sports and fitness area during the daytime, serving charcoal roasted chicken tikkas with ice cold beers in the evening
30 minutes • Admission ticket included

Additional info

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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