Shimla facts for kids

Shimla
Quick facts for kids Shimla ; Simla
	City
	Clockwise from top: Skyline at Shimla Southern Side, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Town Hall, night view of Shimla and Christ Church
	Nickname(s): Queen of Hills
Country	India
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Shimla
Named for	Hindu goddess Shyamala Devi
Area
• City	35.34 km2 (13.64 sq mi)
Elevation	2,276 m (7,467 ft)
Population (2011)
• City	169,578
• Rank	1 (in HP)
• Density	4,798.5/km2 (12,428.0/sq mi)
• Metro	171,640
Languages
• Official	Hindi
• Additional official	Sanskrit, English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	171 001
Telephone code	91 177 XXX XXXX
ISO 3166 code	ISO 3166-2
Vehicle registration	HP-03, HP-51, HP-52, HP-07
Climate	Cwb
Precipitation	1,577 mm (62 in)
Avg. annual temperature	17 °C (63 °F)
Avg. summer temperature	22 °C (72 °F)
Avg. winter temperature	7 °C (45 °F)

Shimla also known as Simla, is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India, succeeding Murree, northeast of Rawalpindi. After independence, the city became the capital of Punjab and was later made the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is the principal commercial, cultural and educational centre of the state.

Small hamlets were recorded prior to 1815 when British forces took control of the area. The climatic conditions attracted the British to establish the city in the dense forests of Himalayas. As the summer capital, Shimla hosted many important political meetings including the Simla Accord of 1914 and the Simla Conference of 1945. After independence, the state of Himachal Pradesh came into being in 1948 as a result of integration of 28 princely states. Even after independence, the city remained an important political centre, hosting the Simla Agreement of 1972. After reorganisation of state of Himachal Pradesh, the existing Mahasu district was named Shimla.

Shimla is home to a number of buildings that are styled in the Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era, as well as multiple temples and churches. The colonial architecture and churches, the temples and the natural environment of the city attracts tourists. Attractions include the Viceregal Lodge, the Christ Church, the Jakhoo Temple, the Mall Road, the Ridge and Annadale which together form the city centre. The Kalka–Shimla Railway line built by the British, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also a major tourist attraction. Owing to its steep terrain, Shimla hosts the mountain biking race MTB Himalaya, which started in 2005 and is regarded as the biggest event of its kind in South Asia. Shimla also has the largest natural ice skating rink in South Asia. Apart from being a tourism centre, the city is also an educational hub with a number of colleges and research institutions.

Images for kids

Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla, former "Viceregal Lodge", built 1888
Entrance of the Crow Brough Rest House built in 1921.
Simla and Jutogh, 1911 map
Skating at Simla, c. 1905
Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital at Shimla
National Academy of Audits and Accounts, Yarrows.
Town Hall as seen from The Ridge
Foggy morning at Tattapani
Jakhu Temple in 1910
A folk celebration in Shimla
Side view of Christ Church Shimla from Mall Road.
The Ridge, covered in snow
Christ Church on the Ridge
Mall Road, Shimla seen from the Scandal point.
Catholic Church
Naldehra Golf Club on hilltop, Shimla
National Highway 22 connects Shimla to the city of Chandigarh.
The bridge connecting Shimla with Chhota Shimla, originally erected in 1829 by Lord Combermere, Shimla, 1850s
Passenger train on the Kalka-Shimla Railway route
Stained glass windows at Christ Church (1850), Shimla.
Shimla railway station
Shimla at night
Shimla from above
Hills near Shimla
Night view from the Ridge
Residential architecture
Shimla under snow
South side of the Ridge
Winter circa 1905
Christ Church
Town Hall, Shimla in the evening
The Ridge, Shimla
Panchayat Bhavan, Shimla