Mathura is a city in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) north of Agra, and 145 kilometres (90 mi) south-east of Delhi; about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from the town of Vrindavan, and 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Govardhan. In Hinduism, Mathura is believed to be the birthplace of Krishna, which is located at the Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex. It is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven cities considered holy by Hindus. The Kesava Deo Temple was built in ancient times on the site of Krishna's birthplace (an underground prison). Mathura was the capital of the kingdom of Surasena, ruled by Kansa, the maternal uncle of Krishna. Mathura has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.
Shri Krishna Janmabhumi is the most famous tourist attraction in Mathura, as this place is believed to the be the exact place where Lord Krishna was born, and the prison where he was born is now on display for tourists to see. Apart from the prison, the Shri Krishna Janmabhumi also has a majestic temple with idols of Krishna and Radha, making this place one of the top places to visit in Mathura. Mathura has many temples, both big and small, dotting the entire city, with many of these temples being dedicated to Lord Krishna. The two most important temples in town are the Dwarkadheesh Temple and the Gita Mandir. The Dwarkadheesh Temple is an ancient temple that has been standing from the 1800s and boasts of some of the most stunning architecture in and around this region.
Every nook and cranny of the narrow lanes and bylanes of this place still retains an old-world charm that belies the urbanization the city has kept up with. There is a lot of history to Mathura that you can experience only by exploring the old-fashioned architecture, the crumbling ruins of old houses, and the genial amiability of the locals who are always willing to show you around.
Girraj Ji Temple (Goverdhan)
Shri Giriraj Ji Maharaj Temple is located at Giriraj Mountain Govardhan hill which is 21 Km far from Lord Krishna's Birth City Mathura in Uttar Pradesh. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is known for the Hindu pilgrimage, Govardhan Parvat, a narrow sandstone hill of 8 km in length. Lord Krishna held Govardhan Hill on his little finger to save the town from the wrath of the god of rain, Indra.
Krishna Janambhumi
Krishna Janambhumi at Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Shri Krishna, who manifested himself in the prison-house of the cruel king Kansa and set free his father Vasudeva and his mother, Devaki. His purpose was to destroy evil, protect the virtuous, and establish righteousness on a firm footing.
Dwarikadhish Temple
Built in 1814 by Seth Gokul Das Parikh, Dwarikadish Temple is one of the main temples in the town. Located in the heart of the city, this revered shrine is decorated on a grandiose scale during the festive days of Holi, Janmashthami and Diwali. The main temple here is elaborately designed and colourfully painted.
Prem Mandir
Astounding in elegance, this temple was shaped by Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj in 2001. Prem Mandir is the most beautiful in the Brij area and is also famous for its architectural beauty. . This grand religious place is dedicated to Radha Krishna as well as Sita Ram and is located in Vrindavan.
Vishram Ghat
The traditional Parikrama (circumambulation of all the city's important religious and cultural places) starts from Vishram Ghat and ends here. The Vishram Ghat is lined with elegant temples. Some of the most important shrines in Mathura include Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman, and Narasimha temples.
Baldeo
This charming town is situated on the outskirts of Mathura city. It is said to have been ruled by Lord Krishna’s elder brother, Lord Balaram, and is therefore also referred to as “Dauji” by the locals of Baldeo as well as Mathura and other neighbouring towns.
Nandgaon
Nandgaon is the home of Lord Krishna, where he resided for nine years and 50 days along with his foster father Nanda Baba and mother, Yashoda. The birthplace of Lord Krishna, Nandgaon, at its heart is a pilgrimage destination. With numerous temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple sightseeing tour and performing a pilgrimage at places like Nandishwara Hill are the best things to do in the Nandgaon.
Rangji Temple
This temple is one of the biggest in Vrindavan and one of the few dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Rangji is the personification of Lord Vishnu. Throngs of devotees visit the temple every day, especially during the ten-day Brahmotsava festival. The temple was built in 1851 and showcases Lord Sri Ranganatha or Rangaji as its primary deity.
Gokul
About 15 km of the southeast of Mathura, connected by a metalled road, is Gokul, a suburb of the inland town of Mahavan on the bank of the Yamuna. This is the place where an infant, Lord Krishna was brought up in secrecy by his foster mother, Yashoda. Situated on the banks of the Yamuna, Gokul is frequented by pilgrims, especially during Janmashtami and Annakut festivals.
Iskcon Temple
Also known as Sri Krishna-Balaram Mandir, this temple was built in 1975 on the instructions of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is the founder-acharya of ISKCON. The core objective of this temple was to increase awareness about the Vedic scriptures and the Bhagavad Gita.
Shri Bankey Bihari Temple
It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in the holy city of Vrindavan. Bankey means “bent in three places”, and Bihari means “supreme enjoyer.” So this is how Krishna, bent in three places, got the name “Bankey Bihari ”. The image of Lord Krishna stands in the Tribhanga posture.