Why visit Mathura
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 9 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Government Museum, Mathura and Kankali Tila.
Weather in Mathura
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Mathura
Mathura (Braj pronunciation: [mɐ.t̪ʰʊ.ɾäː] ) is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located 162 kilometres (101 mi) south-east of Delhi; and about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the town of Vrindavan. In ancient times, Mathura was an economic hub, located at the junction of important caravan routes. The 2011 Census of India estimated the population of Mathura at 441,894.
From the Wikipedia article Mathura (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Mathura on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks5
Kankali Tila
Monument and historic site · 0.7 km
Mound located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes9
History
Traditionally it is believed that it was founded by Shatrughna after killing Yadava Lavana at the site of Madhuvana. According to Ramayana it was founded by Madhu (a man of the Yadu tribe). Later on Madhu's son Lavanasura was defeated by Shatrughna.
Mathura, which lies at the centre of the cultural region of Braj has an ancient history and is also believed to be the homeland and birthplace of Krishna, who belonged to the Yadu dynasty. According to the Archaeological Survey of India plaque at the Mathura Museum, the city is mentioned in the oldest Indian epic, the Ramayana. In the epic, the Ikshwaku prince Shatrughna slays a demon called Lavanasura and claims the land. Afterwards, the place came to be known as Madhuvan as it was thickly wooded, then Madhupura and later Mathura. The most important pilgrimage site in Mathura was Katra ('market place'), now referred to as Krishna Janmasthan ('the birthplace of Krishna'). Excavations at the site revealed pottery and terracotta dating to the sixth century BCE, the remains of a large Buddhist complex, including a monastery called Yasha Vihara of the Gupta period, as well as Jain sculptures of the same era.
From the History section of Mathura on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship19
Dwarikadeesh Temple
Place of worship · Hindu · 1.3 km
Naya Bazaar, Mathura
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare54
Map of Mathura
114 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Agra Airport (AGR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 47 km away.
- Gokul 9 km southeast, about 9 min by car
- Vrindāvan 9 km north, about 9 min by car
- Bād 11 km south, about 11 min by car
- Mahāban 11 km southeast, about 11 min by car
- Rāya 13 km northeast, about 13 min by car
- Baldev 18 km southeast, about 18 min by car
- Rādhākund 18 km west, about 18 min by car
- Govardhan 21 km west, about 21 min by car
- Farah 22 km southeast, about 22 min by car
- Agra 49 km southeast, about 49 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Mathura Temple-Mathura-India0001, Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5016, Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0
- Mathura archaeological sites, Smith, Vincent Arthur, 1848-1920, Public domain
- Sacred Heart Church, Mathura 1, Whispyhistory, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mathura Temple-Mathura-India0002, Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- KANS FORT, SUDHIR UPADHYAY JI, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built November 2, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.