Interesting facts

1. Chandigarh is a Union Territory in India, meaning it is governed directly by the Central Government, not by a state government. 2. It serves as the joint capital of two neighboring states: Punjab and Haryana. 3. The city was designed by the Swiss-French modern architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s. 4. Before Le Corbusier, American architect Albert Mayer and Polish architect Maciej Nowicki initially drafted the city's master plan. 5. Chandigarh is known as "The City Beautiful," a phrase derived from the City Beautiful movement in urban planning. 6. The city is divided into numbered "Sectors." 7. Originally, Le Corbusier omitted Sector 13 due to superstitions about the number 13. However, in 2020, a neighborhood (Manimajra) was renamed Sector 13. 8. The Capitol Complex in Sector 1 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 9. The Open Hand Monument is the official emblem of the city, symbolizing "open to give, open to receive." 10. Sukhna Lake is completely man-made, created in 1958 by damming a seasonal stream. 11. The Rock Garden of Chandigarh was secretly built by Nek Chand, a government official, using industrial and home waste. 12. Chandigarh is part of the "Tricity," which includes the adjacent cities of Mohali (Punjab) and Panchkula (Haryana). 13. Sector 17 is the primary commercial and pedestrian hub of the city, often called the "Heart of Chandigarh." 14. The Zakir Hussain Rose Garden in Sector 16 is the largest botanical garden of its kind in Asia, with thousands of rose bushes. 15. Chandigarh has the highest per capita income among Indian cities. 16. The city's road network is classified into a hierarchy from V1 (arterial roads) to V8 (pedestrian and bicycle tracks). 17. Every roundabout in the city is uniquely landscaped with colorful flowers and trees. 18. The city was the first planned city in post-independence India, championed by India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. 19. Chandigarh boasts one of the most extensive dedicated cycle-track networks in India. 20. Tree plantation was a core part of the original design; different sectors have specific tree species blooming in different seasons.