Shimla was built on top of seven hills. The Ridge was an actual ridge between two of the hills. Slowly Shimla grew and spread in other directions but it all began with these seven hills.
#1. Prospect Hill
Prospect Hill is in Western Shimla and has the Kamna Devi Temple on top of it.
The height of the hill is above 2000 meters and it takes 15 to 20 minutes to climb to the top from Boileauganj in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
#2. Summer Hill
The next hill in the line is Summer Hill where the Himachal Pradesh University campus is located today. It is about 2100 meters above sea level.
There are many historical buildings in this area where famous personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi have stayed. Today these are used as the campus for HPU.
#3. Observatory Hill
Coming towards The Ridge from Summer Hill, the next hill in line is the Observatory Hill.
Others might know it as the location for the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies which used to be the Viceregal Lodge. This building is both architecturally and historical very significant.
#4. Inverarm Hill
The next hill is known as Inverarm. It houses the Himachal State Museum today. It is a quiet place that only few tourists visit when they come to see the museum.
The climb is steep but you get to be amongst pristine nature and get a panoramic view around Shimla.
#5. Bantony Hill
Bantony is in Central Shimla right before Scandal Point.
It holds the Bantony Castle which was constructed in 1880 and used to be the summer palace of Maharaja of Sirmaur. The building today is in a very poor state and the Himachal Government is trying to acquire it to restore it and use it for a better purpose.
#6. Jakhoo Hill
Jakhoo, of course is the most famous hill of Shimla.
It is also the tallest hill of Shimla at a height of 2455 meters above sea level. It holds a temple that used to exist even before Shimla was thought up by the British. It is a 2.5 km steep climb from The Ridge and today holds an impressive 108 meter tall statue of Hanuman, the monkey god.
#7. Elysium Hill
Elysium is the 7th hill of Shimla in the North Western part of Shimla. It holds Auckland House and Longwood.
Auckland House was the residence of Lord Auckland before it was converted into a school.
Impressive! The seven hills of Shimla…wasn’t aware about it.
Thanks!
yah.. very few people know about these..
Amazing write up and pictures. I have seen all the seven hills, but never paid attention to them with this prospective.
Thanks Vishal! The credit goes to Aditya, author of this post.
Chanshal peak …at rohru….realy a heven on the earth….155 km far away from shimla…and 45 km from rohru
I lived in Shimla from 1946 – 1960 and studied at Loretto Convent and St.Edwards High School. Shimla was very different then and being very young I could not appreciate the beauty of Shimla then, though I have lived and visited all these seven hills so many times. I remember going to Tara Devi Temple on foot through the jungle in 1957/58 as a tenderfoot scout while studying at St. Edwards High School. The pictures are very nostalgic as view them after more than fifty years after leaving Shimla. Its simply wonderful and I wish to thank Aditya for his great work.