Mathura Vrindavan is the holy land of Radha and Krishna. The cities being the birth place and the place where Lord Krishna grew makes it a pilgrimage spot for the Hindus. Vrindavan is a satellite town, adjacent to Mathura city but within Mathura district. Mathura and Vrindavan are pilgrimage sites of the Hindus in Uttar Pradesh. Both of these places, Mathura and Vrindavan are famous in the world for the gorgeous temples and the beautiful sites that depict different life stories of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radharani. People from all over the world come to explore the exquisite temples here and get absorbed in the religious ceremonies carried out here on a daily basis. The glorious history of Mathura and the tourist attractions in Mathura beckon a large number of visitors and pilgrims throughout the year since several centuries. Following are 15 famous temples in Mathura & Vrindavan.

Banke Bihari Mandir: The best and the most iconic temple in Vrindavan is Banke Bihari Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and his Banke Bihari avatar. Banke means ‘Bent in three places,’ whereas Bihari means ‘Enjoyer’ so the final meaning is supreme enjoyer. The narrow lanes leading to the temples have the scenes of monkeys, street vendors, hippies, and devotees.

Prem Mandir: One of the newest, the fanciest, and the brightest temples in Vrindavan has to be the Prem Mandir. It is dedicated as the love temple and looks extremely beautiful during the night with all the colourful lights on. It is a huge temple complex with exciting things and the portraits of Krishna Leela, Govardhan Parwat Leela, and Krishna Kaliya Naag Leela.

Gita Mandir: Gita Mandir is also famously called as Birla Mandir. The tourists must include this temple in their itinerary when in the city. This temple of Mathura city has the carvings of Lord Krishna’s preaching to his disciple the Pandava Prince, Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War period. On the entrance of the temple one can witness 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita inscribed on the pillars.

Dwarkadhish Temple: Regarded as one of the most famous temples of Mathura, Dwarkadhish Temple happens to be one of the oldest temples in the city. The temple is called so because Lord Krishna had moved to Dwarka to settle there until his last breath. It is located near Gatashrama and Vishram Ghat. The idol of the temple is a black marble idol of Lord Dwarkadhish which is also a form of Lord Krishna.

Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple: The most important temple Mathura and Vrindavan combined has to be the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple. It is the exact spot where Lord Krishna was born. This shrine is known to be the holiest place in Mathura and it is and it is a very sacred place for the Hindus. Visit this temple during Janmashtami and have the best experience of your life here.

Shri Radha Vallabh Mandir: One of the most important temples of Vrindavan is Shri Radha Vallabh Mandir. The temple was an old one and was found 450 years ago. The temple is believed to have been destroyed by Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor. It was then rebuilt again. The temple was sculpted and carved by the Goswamis of Shri Radha Vallabh Lal. Devotees visit the temple for listening to devotional songs regularly.

Madan Mohan Temple: Madan Mohan Temple can be said as one of the most aesthetic temples of Vrindavan. It is located near the Kali ghat and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. This one is again one of the oldest temples of Vrindavan and was built in the year 1580. This temple is more aesthetically pleasing because it is built on a hill rock with green pastures of land below.

Shri Krishna Balaram Mandir (ISKCON): ISKCON temple is the most frequently visited temples by the devotees because it is one of the most important ISKCON temples of India. The architecture of the temple is very pleasing to the eyes. The temple has three altars, containing the idols of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Krishna and Balaram, and Sri Sri Radha Shyamasundara and the gopis, Vishakha, and Lalita.

Baba Jaigurudev Mandir: This is one of the most famous temples of Mathura. This temple resembles the iconic Taj Mahal and that is the reason why people visit this temple more. The temple is famous for the Bhandara festival celebration that takes place in the month of August.

Chamunda Devi Temple: One of the most important spiritual retreats of Mathura is the Chamunda Devi Temple. It is believed that a hair strand of Maa Gayatri fell on this very spot which makes it sacred. It is also believed in Satyug Lord Krishna offered salvation to a python after which he went to seek blessings from Maa Chamunda here.

Govind Devji Temple: This beautiful red sandstone temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is known for its intricate carvings style. The shrine of this temple has been destroyed by Aurangzeb during his reign and the temple had seven floors but now only three remain. The temple gates open early around 5.30 AM in the morning for the devotees.

Bhuteshwar Mahadev Mandir: This one is a revered Hindu temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s form known as Bhuteshwar Mahadev. It is also a Shaktipeeth where the ringlet of Mata Sati fell after her body was destroyed. It is one of the few temples in the city that is not dedicated to Lord Krishna.

Rangji Temple: This one is the largest temple in Vrindavan and is built in the Dravidian architectural style having five rectangular enclosures. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha who depicts Lord Vishnu. But, this temple only allows Hindus to go inside. The structure of Shri Rangji Mandir is based on the temple of Srirangam, Sri Ranganatha Swami Temple.

Katyayani Temple: This temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths in India. The Katyayani Peeth is also called as the Uma Shakti Peeth. The best time to visit this temple during the festival of Vijaya Dashmi and Navratri. The temple is open on all days from 7 AM for the visitors.

Shahji Temple: Finally ending this list of gorgeous temples in Mathura and Vrindavan with the Shahji Temple. It is the designing of the temple that attracts devotees from every part of the world to explore and soak in the divine beauty. The temple has a mix style of Greek, Mughal, and Hindu architecture. The temple was originally built as the palace of Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. The Belgian glass chandeliers are also the highlight of the temple.

Mathura Vrindavan can safely be called as the land of temples as there is no dearth of temples in the city. Out of the many temples, these are just the top ones which everyone must include in their itinerary when they are going to explore these towns. Optima Travels offers several customizable Mathura tour packages.