Dalhousie is a hill station in Chamba distric, in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated on 5 hills and has an elevation of 1,970 metres above sea level. Dalhousie is a high-altitude town spread across 5 hills near the Dhauladhar mountain range in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It's home to colonial-era buildings, including St. Francis and St. John’s churches, which date back to the rule of the British Raj in the 1800s.
Dalhousie (altitude 2,039 meters), located in the outer slope of hill Dhauladhar range, is another important hill resort in the district. A number of picturesque walks run through the oak and pine forests around the town and offer excellent views of the Chenab, the Ravi and the Beas valleys. It is thickly wooded with stately pines and oaks and has lovely picnic spots all sanitorium by its founder Lord Dalhousie, it is today one of the most quiet hill stations, Extending over an area of 16 sq.km., Dalhousie comprise five distinct hills, Balun, Kathlog, Petreyn, Tehra and Bakrota with heights ranging between 1,525 and 2,378 meters.
The late Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, has said, “One of the finest hill stations in India is Dalhousie from the point of view of beauty, climate and agreeable surroundings, For my part, I would rather go to Dalhousie than almost any hill station in India, Kashmir apart”.
It is known for its church buildings and other landmarks erected by the British. The town has old churches like St. John’s Church (1853), St. Francis’s Church (1894), St. Andrew’s Church (1903) and St. Patrick’s Church (1909).
St. John’s Church, the oldest is located at Gandhi Chock, about 2 km. from the bus terminus. This church was the first to be built after the founding of Dalhousie. Accouding to the annals of Chamba stat, prior to 1863 a wooden structure of the church stood at this site. The plan to build a stone structure was drawn up on the arrival of the Rev John H. Pratt on 11 April 1863. The present building is one of the prominent monuments in the Dalhousie area. The building, is in good condition. However, continuous, care from local administration is very important to preserve this monument for generation to come. Dalhousie has been linked with air, rail and roads network to ensure all weather access to this beautiful place. The distances are as under. Amritsar 188 km., Chamba 56 km., Chandigarh 352 km., Delhi 563 km., Jammu 188 km., Jalandhar 192 km., Manali 402 km. and Pathankot 80 km.
Places to Visit in Dalhousie