Chandigarh is a union territory of India, that serves as the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name was coined from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu Goddess Chandi, present in the city's vicinity. It is occasionally referred to as The City Beautiful.
The city of Chandigarh was one of the earlyplanned citiesin the post-independence India and is known internationally for its architecture and urban design.The master plan of the city was prepared by Swiss-French architectLe Corbusier, transformed from earlier plans created by the Polish architectMaciej Nowickiand the American plannerAlbert Mayer. Most of the government buildings and housing in the city, however, were designed by the Chandigarh Capital Project Team headed by Pierre Jeanneret,Jane DrewandMaxwell Fry.