SHIMLA
The open plaza that anchors Shimla — Christ Church and Gaiety Theatre frame it. Go at golden hour for the mountain view; by 10am in peak season it's a wall of people.
The Ridge occupies what was once the Upper Bazaar, Shimla's original market district, before a major fire destroyed the old town in 1875 and the British rebuilt the area as an open promenade. It became the social and ceremonial heart of the summer capital of British India, hosting gatherings, parades, and public functions in front of Christ Church and the Gaiety Theatre. Today it remains the town's central open square, still framed by 19th-century colonial buildings.
