Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple — the Golden Temple of Varanasi — is one of India's 12 Jyotirlinga shrines, the most sacred Shiva temple on earth, and the spiritual heart of Hinduism. The new Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor (2021) connects the temple directly to the Ganges ghats. Its golden spire, clad in 1,000 kg of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, glows over the old city. Advance slot booking required at srikashivishwanath.org. A top Varanasi pilgrimage must.