Bhubaneswar is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha, located in the Khordha district. The region, especially the ancient city, was often historically represented as Chakra Kshetra and Ekamra Kshetra (area decorated with a mango tree). Bhubaneswar is called the "City of Temples", a nickname it earned due to the 700 temples that once stood there. In contemporary times, it has become an educational center and an attractive business destination.
Although the modern city of Bhubaneswar was formally established in 1948, the history of the areas in and around the present city dates back to the 7th century BC. and before. It is a confluence of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain heritage and includes several Kalingan temples, many of which date from the 6th to 13th centuries AD. With Puri and Konark it forms the "Swarna Tribhuja" (literally 'Golden Triangle'), one of the most visited destinations in eastern India.
Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital on August 19, 1949, two years after India gained independence from Britain. The modern city was designed in 1946 by the German architect Otto Königsberger. Along with Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, it was one of the first planned cities of modern India. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are often referred to as the "twin cities of Odisha". The metropolitan area formed by the two cities had a population of 1.7 million in 2011. The Bhubaneswar metropolitan area has a population of around one million and is classified as a Tier 2 city. Bhubaneswar and Rourkela are the two cities of the Odisha Smart City Mission.
