View source for Mussoorie

{{short description|Hill station in Uttarakhand, India}}
{{distinguish|Missouri}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{more citations needed|date=April 2018}}
{{Original research|date=April 2018}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
<!-- See [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Indian cities]] for details -->
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Mussoorie
| native_name              = {{Transliteration|hi|ISO|Masūrī}}
| settlement_type          = [[Hill Station]]
| nickname                 = Queen of the Mountains, Queen of the Hills
| image_skyline            = Massourie-cloudy-morning.jpg
| image_alt                = 
| image_caption            = View of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand from the top of Gun Hill
| pushpin_map              = India Uttarakhand
| pushpin_label_position   = 
| pushpin_map_alt          = 
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in Uttarakhand, India
| coordinates              = {{coord|30.45|N|78.08|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1        =  [[Uttarakhand]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Dehradun district|Dehradun]]
| established_title        = <!-- Established -->
| established_modified date         = 
| founder                  = 
| named_for                = 
| government_type          = [[Municipal council (India)|Municipal Council]]
| governing_body           = Mussoorie Municipal Council
| leader_title             = Chairperson
| leader_name              = Meera Saklani
| leader_party             = [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
| leader_title2            = [[Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly|MLA]]
| leader_name2             = [[Ganesh Joshi]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])
| unit_pref                = Metric
| area_footnotes           = 
| area_rank                = 
| area_total_km2           = 
| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_m              = 2005
| population_total         = 30118
| population_as_of         = 2011
| population_rank          = 
| population_density_km2   = auto
| population_demonym       = 
| population_footnotes     = 
| demographics_type1       = Languages
| demographics1_title1     = Official
| demographics1_info1      = [[Hindi]]<ref>{{cite web|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|website=nclm.nic.in|publisher=[[Ministry of Minority Affairs]]|access-date=16 January 2019|page=47|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2     = Regional
| demographics1_info2      = [[Garhwali language|Garhwali]]
| timezone1                = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1              = +5:30
| postal_code_type         = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code              = 248179<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citypincode.in/UTTARAKHAND/DEHRADUN/MUSSOORIE_PINCODE |title=Mussoorie Pin code |publisher=citypincode.in |access-date=3 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402214500/http://www.citypincode.in/UTTARAKHAND/DEHRADUN/MUSSOORIE_PINCODE |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| registration_plate       = UK 07, UK 09
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Mussoorie''' ({{ipa|hi|məsuːɾiː|lang}}) is a [[hill station]] and a [[municipal board]], in [[Dehradun|Dehradun city]] in the [[Dehradun district]] of the [[States and territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Uttarakhand]]. It is about {{convert|35|km}} from the state capital of [[Dehradun]] and {{cvt|290|km}} north of the national capital of [[New Delhi]]. The hill station is in the foothills of the [[Garhwal Division|Garhwal]] [[Himalaya]]n range. The adjoining town of [[Landour]], which includes a military [[cantonment]], is considered part of "greater Mussoorie", as are the townships Barlowganj and Jharipani.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 February 2022|title=Mussoorie, India|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/cities/mussoorie-india.html|access-date=3 February 2022|website=WorldAtlas|language=en-US}}</ref>

Mussoorie is at an average [[altitude]] of {{convert|2005|m|ft}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=GMVN Hotel Garhwal Terrace, Mussoorie |url=https://gmvnonline.com/room-tariff.php?trhID=26 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=gmvnonline.com}}</ref><!--Compare figures in  -->. To the northeast are the Himalayan snow ranges, and to the south, the [[Dehradun|Doon Valley]] and [[Sivalik Hills|Shivalik]] ranges. The second highest point is the original Lal Tibba in Landour, with a height of over {{cvt|2275|m|ft}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=coveringindia.com |title=Mussoorie Tourism: Top Attractions, Travel Guide & Things to Do |url=https://www.coveringindia.com/en/city/mussoorie#google_vignette |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=CoveringIndia |language=en}}</ref> Mussoorie is popularly known as ''The Queen of the Hills''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyo.in/variety/dehradun-doon-valley-mussoorie-childhood-city-life/story/1/22886.html|title=Who stripped my Dehradun off its charm?|last=Dhir|first=Laruna|date=16 March 2018|publisher=DailyO|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/travel-trends/mussoorie-the-queen-of-hills-2286597.html|title=Mussoorie: The original Queen of Hills |last=Joshi|first=Nidhi|date=23 May 2017|publisher=[[Moneycontrol.com]]|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref>

In the recent years, Mussoorie has again gained popularity as an upcoming travel destination with many attractions such as Camel's back road, Dhanaulti, Lal Tibba, etc. Uttarakhand Government reported 3.02 million (30.23 Lacs) travelers to Mussoorie in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tourism |first=Uttarakhand |title=Yearly Statics 2000 to 2020 |url=https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/document/type/Tourist%20Statistics%20from%202000%20to%202020%20of%20Major%20Tourist%20Destinations.pdf |access-date=13 January 2023 |website=Uttarakhand Tourism Official Website}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:1890s Landhaur Bazaar, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India.jpg|thumb|Landour Bazaar in the 1890s]]

Mussoorie has long been known as Queen of the Hills. The name Mussoorie is often attributed to a derivation of ''{{Transliteration|hi|ISO|[[Coriaria nepalensis|mansūr]]}}'', a shrub which is indigenous to the area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mussoorie Tourism :- History of Mussoorie {{!}} Mussoorie History {{!}} British Rule Mussoorie {{!}} About Mussoorie |url=https://www.mussoorietourism.in/history_of_Mussoorie.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.mussoorietourism.in}}</ref> The town is often referred to as ''Mansuri'' by Indians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/destination/mussoorie/|title=Mussoorie &#124; Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board |publisher=Department of Tourism, Government Of Uttarakhand, India|access-date=18 December 2019}}</ref>

In 1803 the [[Gorkhas]] under [[Amar Singh Thapa]] conquered the Garhwal and the Dehra, whereby Mussoorie was established. On 1 November 1814, a war broke out between the Gorkhas and the British. Dehradun and Mussoorie were evacuated by the Gorkhas by the year 1815 and were annexed to the district of Saharanpur by 1819.

Mussoorie as a resort was established in 1825 by Captain [[Frederick Young (East India Company officer)|Frederick Young]], a British military officer. With [[Frederick John Shore|F. J. Shore]], the resident Superintendent of Revenues at Dehradun, who explored the region and built a shooting lodge on Camel's Back Road.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Mussoorie {{!}} Mussoorie History {{!}} British Rule Mussoorie {{!}} About Mussoorie|url=https://www.mussoorietourism.in/history_of_Mussoorie.html|access-date=5 May 2021|website=www.mussoorietourism.in}}</ref> Young became a magistrate of Doon in 1823. He raised the first [[Brigade of Gurkhas|Gurkha Regiment]] and planted the first potatoes in the valley. His tenure in Mussoorie ended in 1844, after which he served in [[Dimapur]] and [[Darjeeling]], later retiring as a General and returning to Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search for services or information |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/ |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=www.gov.ie |language=en}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} There are no memorials to commemorate Young in Mussoorie. However, there is a Young Road in Dehradun on which [[ONGC]]'s<ref>{{Cite web |title=ONGC - Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited |url=https://www.ongcindia.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/home |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=www.ongcindia.com}}</ref> Tel Bhawan{{clarify|date=April 2020}} stands.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pioneer |first=The |title=ONGC: The Untold Story |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/ongc--the-untold-story.html#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9CPatiala%20House%E2%80%9D,%20on%206,%20Young%20Road,,cantonment%20area%20had%20a%20crucial%20role%20to |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

In 1832, Mussoorie was the intended terminus of the [[Great Trigonometric Survey]] of India that began at the southern tip of the country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IMA India Conferences |url=https://www.ima-india.com/ceostrat2019/index.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.ima-india.com}}</ref> Although unsuccessful, the Surveyor General of India at the time, [[George Everest]], wanted the new office of the [[Survey of India]] to be based in Mussoorie; a compromise location was [[Dehradun]], where it remains.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mussoorie – Thetravellingtribe |url=https://thetravellingtribe.com/mussoorie/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=thetravellingtribe.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The same year the first [[Beer|beer brewery]] at Mussoorie was established by Sir Henry Bohle as "[[Old Brewery (Mussoorie)|The Old Brewery]]". The brewery opened and closed twice before it was re-established by Sir John Mackinnon as Mackinnon & Co. in 1850.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/The-Mussoorie-brew-which-had-Ghalib-hooked/articleshow/49210000.cms|title=The Mussoorie brew which had Ghalib hooked|date=3 October 2015|first=Prachi Raturi |last=Misra|work=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref>

By 1901, Mussoorie's population had grown to 6,461, rising to 15,000 in the summer. Earlier, Mussoorie was approachable by road from [[Saharanpur]], {{convert|58|mi|km}} away. Accessibility became easier in 1900 with the railway coming to [[Dehradun]], thus shortening the road trip to {{convert|21|mi|km}}.<ref>{{EB1911|wstitle=Mussoorie|volume=19|page=97}}</ref>
[[File:Mussoorie View from top of the hill.jpg|thumb|A view of the [[Kempty Falls]] from top of the hill. Kempty Fall is {{cvt|15|km}} from Mussoorie along Kempty Fall Road]][[File:Mountain forest of mussoorie.jpg|thumb|Another view from top of a hill]]

The Nehru family, including Nehru's daughter Indira (later [[Indira Gandhi]]) were frequent visitors to Mussoorie in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, and stayed at the [[Savoy Hotel (Mussoorie)|Savoy Hotel]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2016/vivacity/murder-at-savoy.html|title=Murder at Savoy|website=The Pioneer|language=en|access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref> They also spent time in nearby [[Dehradun]], where Nehru's sister [[Vijayalakshmi Pandit]] ultimately settled full-time.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Subramanian|first=Archana|date=14 September 2017|title=Breaking the glass ceiling|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/children/breaking-the-glass-ceiling/article19669886.ece|access-date=5 May 2021|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

On 20 April 1959, during the [[1959 Tibetan Rebellion]], the [[14th Dalai Lama]] took up residence at Mussoorie, this until April 1960 when he relocated to [[Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh|Dharamsala]] in Himachal Pradesh,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dalailama.com/the-dalai-lama/events-and-awards/chronology-of-events|title=Chronology of Events|date=9 April 2020|website=The 14th Dalai Lama|language=en|access-date=9 April 2020}}</ref> where the [[Central Tibetan Administration]] is today headquartered.

The first Tibetan school was established in Mussoorie in 1960. Tibetans settled mainly in [[Happy Valley, Mussoorie|Happy Valley]]. Today, about 5,000 Tibetans live in Mussoorie.<ref>{{Cite web|title=50 Years of Central Tibetan Schools Administration|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/mbErel.aspx?relid=88202|website=pib.gov.in|access-date=10 May 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Ellangowan Snow (14644702587).jpg|thumb|Mussoorie experiences heavy snowfall during winter]]

==Geography and climate==
Mussoorie has an average elevation of about {{convert|2005|m|ft}}. The highest point is "Lal Tibba", at a height of about {{cvt|2275|m|ft}}, although the name Lal Tibba is now also used to describe a lookout point, a short distance from the peak.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mussoorie - Uttarakhand Trips |url=https://uttarakhandtrips.com/destination/mussoorie/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=uttarakhandtrips.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Mussoorie has a fairly typical [[subtropical highland climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cwb'') for the mid-altitude Himalaya. Summers are warm and very wet, with July and August averaging approximately {{convert|660|mm|in}} of rain per month due to orographic lift of the extremely moist monsoonal air. The pre-monsoon seasons in April and May is warm and generally dry and clear, giving way to heavy rainfall from mid-June, while the post-monsoon season is also dry and clear but substantially cooler. In winter, rainfall is a little more frequent than in the pre-and post-monsoon seasons, and the general weather cool and partly cloudy. Mussoorie usually receives a few spells of snowfall in December, January and February, although the number of snowy days has come down in recent years due to a combination of local and global factors, such as deforestation, construction activity and global warming.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} Between October and February the town shows the rare "[[winterline]]" phenomenon.<ref>{{cite news |title=What causes 'winterline' and why is it visible only in a few places in the world? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/What-causes-winterline-and-why-is-it-visible-only-in-a-few-places-in-the-world/articleshow/5231442.cms |access-date=6 April 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=15 November 2009}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|width = auto
| location = Mussoorie (1971-2000, extremes 1901-present)
| metric first = Yes
| single line  = Yes
| Jan record high C = 23.8
| Feb record high C = 23.3
| Mar record high C = 26.1
| Apr record high C = 29.1
| May record high C = 34.4
| Jun record high C = 31.7
| Jul record high C = 29.4
| Aug record high C = 25.6
| Sep record high C = 27.2
| Oct record high C = 28.1
| Nov record high C = 25.0
| Dec record high C = 23.3
| year record high C = 34.4
| Jan high C = 10.3
| Feb high C = 11.2
| Mar high C = 15.7
| Apr high C = 20.6
| May high C = 23.0
| Jun high C = 23.2
| Jul high C = 20.9
| Aug high C = 20.5
| Sep high C = 19.8
| Oct high C = 18.6
| Nov high C = 15.5
| Dec high C = 12.7
| year high C = 17.6
| Jan low C = 2.8
| Feb low C = 3.4
| Mar low C = 7.1
| Apr low C = 11.5
| May low C = 14.3
| Jun low C = 15.6
| Jul low C = 15.0
| Aug low C = 14.8
| Sep low C = 13.6
| Oct low C = 11.1
| Nov low C = 7.6
| Dec low C = 4.5
| year low C = 10.0
| Jan record low C = -5.0
| Feb record low C = -6.7
| Mar record low C = -2.5
| Apr record low C = -1.5
| May record low C = 3.7
| Jun record low C = 4.1
| Jul record low C = 11.7
| Aug record low C = 7.4
| Sep record low C = 1.3
| Oct record low C = 2.6
| Nov record low C = -2.1
| Dec record low C = -3.9
| year record low C = -6.7
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 49.9
| Feb rain mm = 65.2
| Mar rain mm = 73.1
| Apr rain mm = 56.2
| May rain mm = 69.0
| Jun rain mm = 200.9
| Jul rain mm = 629.6
| Aug rain mm = 548.0
| Sep rain mm = 264.5
| Oct rain mm = 55.5
| Nov rain mm = 14.9
| Dec rain mm = 10.1
| year rain mm = 2036.8
| Jan rain days = 4.1
| Feb rain days = 5.0
| Mar rain days = 5.1
| Apr rain days = 3.8
| May rain days = 5.0
| Jun rain days = 9.5
| Jul rain days = 22.4
| Aug rain days = 21.3
| Sep rain days = 11.6
| Oct rain days = 2.7
| Nov rain days = 0.9
| Dec rain days = 1.3
| year rain days = 92.7
|time day = 17:30 [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| Jan humidity = 78
| Feb humidity = 75
| Mar humidity = 66
| Apr humidity = 56
| May humidity = 58
| Jun humidity = 70
| Jul humidity = 85
| Aug humidity = 87
| Sep humidity = 85
| Oct humidity = 78
| Nov humidity = 75
| Dec humidity = 75
|year humidity = 74
|source 1 = [[India Meteorological Department]]<ref name=IMDnormals>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200215220604/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Normals%20%281971-2000%29.pdf
| archive-date = 15 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Normals%20%281971-2000%29.pdf
| title = Station: Mussoorie Climatological Table 1971–2000
| work = Climatological Normals 1971–2000
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = October 2011
| pages = 533–534
| access-date = 31 March 2020}}</ref><ref name=IMDextremes>
{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| archive-date = 5 February 2020
| url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf
| title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)
| publisher = India Meteorological Department
| date = December 2016
| page = M227
| access-date = 31 March 2020}}</ref>
}}

==Government==
The '''Mussoorie Municipal Council'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nppmussoorie.com/ |title=Welcome to the official Website of Nagar Palika Parisad Mussoorie, City Board Mussoorie, Dehradun |publisher=Nppmussoorie.com |date= |accessdate=2021-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Garhwal Post |url=https://garhwalpost.in/mussoorie-municipal-council-fails-to-allocate-land-for-displaced/ |title=Mussoorie Municipal Council fails to allocate land for displaced &#124; Garhwal Post |publisher=Garhwalpost.in |date=2020-09-11 |accessdate=2021-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/councillors-accuse-mc-chief-of-irregularities-315294 |title=Councillors accuse MC chief of irregularities |publisher=The Tribune India |date=2016-10-27 |accessdate=2021-09-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttarakhand/dehradun-city-case-filed-against-four-people-for-taking-mussoorie-municipal-council-land-21151819.html |title=Case filed against four people for taking Mussoorie Municipal Council land |publisher=Jagran.com |date= |accessdate=2021-09-09}}</ref> is the civic or urban local body that governs the city. It is essentially the city government and differs from the [[Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority|MDDA]] (Mussoorie Dehradun Development Board), which is a state run organisation.

This corporation consists of 13 wards and is headed by a '''Chairman''' who presides over a deputy '''chairman''' and 12 other [[councillor|corporators]] representing the wards. The '''Chairman''' is elected directly through a first-past-the-post voting system and the deputy chairman is elected by the [[councillor|corporators]] from among their numbers.

The council is composed of elected officials like the mayor and [[councillor|corporators]], administrative officials, like the '''Executive Officer''' and technical officers who have expertise in various domains.

==Demographics==
As of 2011 India [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/800307-mussoorie-uttarakhand.html|title=Mussoorie Population Census 2011|publisher=Census Commission of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|access-date=19 September 2016}}</ref> Mussoorie had a population of 30,118. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Mussoorie has an average literacy rate of 89%, higher than the national average of 75%: male literacy is 94%, and female literacy is 84%. In Mussoorie, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age. In Mussoorie Nagar Palika Parishad, female sex ratio is of 812 against the state average of 963. Moreover, the child sex ratio in Mussoorie is around 918 compared to Uttarakhand state average of 890.

==Landmarks==
[[File:Entire mussorie.jpg|400px|left|Panoramic view of Mussoorie.]]
{{clear}}
Tourism, concentrated during summer and winter, is the most significant segment of the Mussoorie economy.

===Bhadraj Temple===
[[Bhadraj Temple]] is a famous temple in Yamuna Valley. It is dedicated to [[Balarama]], the brother of [[Sri Krishna|Krishna]]. People visit here to go [[trekking]] and for camping. Greenfield is a safe place for camping here. There are views of the [[Chaukhamba]] and [[Bandarpunch|Banderpunch]] peaks.

As of October 2023, the drive from Clouds End to Dudhli village is cumbersome in a difficult terrain. It would be preferable to trek from Clouds End to Dudhli village. The trek from Dudhli village to the Temple is about 5&nbsp;km in steep gradient.

===Dhanaulti===
[[Dhanaulti]] is a hill station located {{cvt|24|km}} away from Mussoorie. The Doon Valley and snow-covered Garhwal Himalayas can be viewed from there.

===Camel's Back Road===
Camel's Back Road incorporates a nature walk. The road, which takes its name from a rocky outcrop in the shape of a camel's hump, contains hotels, motels, and a cemetery.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/camel-back-road.php | title=Camel Back Road Mussoorie - Tourist Attraction in Mussoorie Camel Back Road }}</ref> The oldest Christian church in the Himalayas, St Mary's, is above Mall Road.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goniyal |first=Saurabh |date=2023 |title=Mussoorie Tourism |url=https://www.uttarakhand-tourism.com/uttarakhand/mussoorie.php |website=uttarakhand-tourism.com}}</ref>

===Lal Tibba===
Lal Tibba earlier was at the highest peak of Mussoorie where presently TV Tower is located. The earlier Lal Tibba peak had a fixed large binocular through which one could see the snow clad peaks of Himalayas that lies to the north. After the construction of TV Tower the binocular was shifted on the Landour ridge towards west which is now named as Lal Tibba and is located near "Childer's Lodge".

===Gun Hill===
[[File:Honeymooning couple at Gun hill in Mussoorie 03.jpg|thumb|A honeymooning couple on Gunhill in Mussourie]]
Gun Hill is the second highest point of Mussoorie, at an altitude of {{cvt|2024|m|0}} and at {{Coord|30.4953|N| 78.0745|E}}, and is accessed by cable car constructed from the Mall road. The cable car was constructed by the efforts of Mr. Hukam Singh Pawar when he was the chairman, Mussoorie Municipal Board. At Gun Hill is a cannon previously used to sound midday time for the local inhabitants.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gun Hill Point - The cannon that kept enemies at bay |url=https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/uttarakhand/mussoorie/gun-hill-point |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Incredible India |language=en}}</ref> It is the second-highest spot after Lal Tibba.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Places to visit in Mussoorie |url=https://trip2divine.com/best-places-mussoorie/ |access-date=26 April 2020 |website=trip2divine.com}}</ref>

===Kempty Falls===
The [[Kempty Falls]], {{cvt|40|ft|order=flip}} high and {{cvt|4,500|ft|order=flip}} above sea level, is {{cvt|15|km}} from Mussoorie, accessed by track and ropeway from Mussoorie-Yamuna Bridge Road. The Britishers on their way to and from Mussoorie to Chakrata camped at the falls for tea and therefore the name Camp Tea became Kempty.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Lake Mist===
About {{cvt|5|km|round=0.5}} before Kempty Falls on the Mussoorie-Kempty road is Lake Mist, through which flows the Kempty river with its numerous small waterfalls. The resort of Lake Mist provides accommodation, restaurant facilities and boating.

===Municipal Garden===
The Municipal Garden provides an artificial mini-lake with paddle boats. It is {{cvt|4|km|round=0.5}} by road transport and {{cvt|2|km|round=0.5}} via Waverly Convent School road on foot.

===Mussoorie Lake===
The newly developed (1994)<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 27, 2022 |first=Anmol |last=Jain |title=Mussoorie lake: A symbol of mismanagement, say locals |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/mussoorie-lake-a-symbol-of-mismanagement-say-locals/articleshow/91820657.cms |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> Mussoorie Lake was built by City Board and [[Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=MDDA – Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority |url=http://mddaonline.in/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> The lake, providing pedal boats and views of Doon Valley and nearby villages, is {{cvt|6|km|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road.

===Bhatta Falls===
Bhatta Falls are {{cvt|7|km|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road near the village of Bhatta. The falls are {{cvt|3|km|round=0.5}} by foot from Bhatta which can also be reached by ropeway started around in 2019

===Jharipani Fall===
Jharipani Fall is on the Mussoorie-Jharipani road, {{cvt|8.5|km|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie.

===Mossy Fall===
Mossy Fall is surrounded by a dense forest and is {{cvt|7|km|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie, and is accessed via Barlowganj or Balahisar.

===Sir George Everest's House===
At Park Estate are the remains of the building and laboratory of Sir [[George Everest]], the [[Surveyor General of India|Surveyor-General of India]] from 1830 to 1843. It is after George Everest that the world's highest peak [[Mount Everest|Mt. Everest]] is named. It is {{cvt|6|km|round=0.5}} from Gandhi Chowk and a scenic walk from Library Bazaar, although accessible by road transport to at least Haathi Paon. The place provides a view of Doon Valley on one side and a panoramic view of the Aglar River valley and the peaks of the Himalayan ranges on the other.

===Happy Valley===
[[File:Happy vally.jpg|right|thumb|Happy Valley, Mussoorie]]
[[Happy Valley, Mussoorie|Happy Valley]] lies on the western side of Library Point. The tourist attraction includes Tibetan sanctuaries, a municipal garden, and the IAS Academy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=coveringindia.com |title=Mussoorie Tourism: Top Attractions, Travel Guide & Things to Do |url=https://www.coveringindia.com/en/city/mussoorie |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=CoveringIndia |language=en}}</ref> Lal Tibba is a further tourist attraction in the cantonment of [[Landour]] near Mussoorie, and overlooks the Himalayas.{{citation needed|reason=do not add hotel or tourist spam links|date=April 2018}}

===Nag Devta Temple===
The ancient Nag Devta Temple is dedicated to Snake God Shiva, It is on Cart Mackenzie Road about {{cvt|6|km|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie on the road to Dehradun. There is vehicular access to the temple, which provides a view of Mussoorie and the Doon Valley.

===Jwalaji Temple (Benog Hill)===
At an altitude of {{cvt|2240|m}} Jwalaji Temple is {{cvt|9|km|round=0.5}} west from Mussoorie, and cannot be accessed by vehicle although a motor road goes most of the way from Mussoorie. It is at the top of Benog Hill and contains an idol of the Goddess Durga; from the temple is a view of the valley of the Aglar River.

===Cloud End===
Cloud End is surrounded by thick deodar forest. The bungalow, built-in 1835 by a British major, was one of the first four buildings in Mussoorie and has been converted to a hotel.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bugyalvalley.com/clouds-end/ | title=Clouds end guide| date=28 May 2022}}</ref>

===Van Chetna Kendra===
Van Chetna Kendra, a {{convert|339|ha}} sanctuary {{cvt|11|km|round=0.5}} to the south from Library Point, was established in 1993. It is significant for the extinct bird species [[Mountain quail|Mountain Quail]] (Pahari Bater), last spotted in 1876.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Beven |first=Rick |date=2013-11-05 |title=Letter from India: quail trail |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/05/letter-from-india-mountain-quail |access-date=2025-03-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

===Benog Wildlife Sanctuary===
{{main|Mussoorie Wildlife Sanctuary}}
The sanctuary, about {{cvt|6.3|km||abbr=}} from Library Point and open to the public, provides a woodland habitat for indigenous birds, and animals.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.jaypeehotels.com/blogs/2018/05/28/places-visit-mussoorie-honeymoon-jaypee-manor-mussoorie/|title=Places to Visit in Mussoorie During Honeymoon|work=Jaypee Hotels|access-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614155408/http://www.jaypeehotels.com/blogs/2018/05/28/places-visit-mussoorie-honeymoon-jaypee-manor-mussoorie/|archive-date=14 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Mall Road===
Mall Road, with architectural evidence of a colonial past, is a shopping area at the centre of Mussoorie, and contains shops, cafes, [[video game]] establishments, skating rinks, a nearby Tibetan market place, and a Methodist church. The Mall road starts from Picture Palace in the east to Library point towards the west.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

===Lal Tibba===
Lal Tibba, also called Depot Hill because of its former use as a military depot, is the highest point in Mussoorie with an altitude of {{cvt|2,275|m}}, with views over the town and its surroundings. A Japanese telescope, with views of Himalayan ranges including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Banderpunch, was installed at Lal Tibba in 1967.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indiahikes.com/landour--lal-tibba-trek | title=Travel guide to Landour & Lal Tibba Trek}}</ref>

==Soham Heritage and Art Centre== 
Bala Hisar is a museum in Uttarakhand that showcases cultural heritage of the state in different art formations yurts.

==Education and services==
There is a Christian institution called the Landour Community Hospital.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mathew |first=Sunalini |date=2021-04-27 |title=A crowd-funder for the Landour Community Hospital raised money for a ventilator in a day |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/wellwishers-raised-money-for-a-ventilator-for-the-landour-community-hospital/article34423543.ece |access-date=2024-01-02 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It is a small mission hospital run by the Emmanuel Hospital Association, Delhi catering to the medical needs of the people on the hills for the last 75 years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/wellwishers-raised-money-for-a-ventilator-for-the-landour-community-hospital/article34423543.ece|title=A ventilator for the Landour Community Hospital|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=27 April 2021 |access-date=3 August 2022|last1=Mathew |first1=Sunalini }}</ref>

The schools include Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverly (1845), St. George's College (1853),<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Institutions In Mussoorie {{!}} Schools In Mussoorie {{!}} Colleges In Mussoorie - : The Queen Of Hill Stations |url=https://www.mussoorietourism.in/Institutions_Schools_in_Mussoorie.html |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=www.mussoorietourism.in}}</ref> Woodstock School (1854),{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} Oak Grove School (1888), Wynberg-Allen (1888), Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary (1969),<ref name=":0" /> and Convent of Jesus and Mary Hampton Court.<ref>{{Cite web |last=newspost |date=2021-03-01 |title=Hampton Court, Mussoorie a hundred years old and counting |url=https://www.newspost.live/en/hampton-court-mussoorie-hundred-years-old-counting/ |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=News Post |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:SGCmussoorie.jpg|right|thumb|Facade of [[St. George's College, Mussoorie]], estb. 1853]]
[[St. George's College, Mussoorie]] (founded in 1853) is amongst the oldest and most reputed schools in the country. It has been run by the [[Patrician Brothers]] since 1893. Spread over {{convert|400|acre|km2|1}}, the school is popularly referred to as 'Manor House'. Over the years, its alumni have made distinguished contributions in several fields, especially in serving the armed forces of the nation. The school's imposing facade stands out as one of the main architectural attractions of Mussoorie.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Woodstock campus shot.jpg|left|thumb|[[Woodstock School]]'s campus]]
[[Woodstock School]] is a Christian, international, co-educational, residential school in Landour, a small hill station contiguous with the town of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India. The school traces its origin to the 1850s when a group of English ladies were enlisted by British officers and American missionaries to provide a Protestant education for girls.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

[[File:Ogjs.JPG|thumb|left|Oak Grove School – Junior Wing]]
[[Oak Grove School (Jharipani, Mussoorie)|Oak Grove School]] stands out from the other notable institutions of Mussoorie for two reasons. First, it is affiliated with the CBSE, New Delhi, which is a rarity amongst the residential schools of Mussoorie. Second, it is a secular government-aided school, run by the Northern Railway. The school was founded in 1888 by the East Indian Railway (EIR) and passed to the Indian Railways when railways were nationalised after Independence. It has three semi-independent wings and is on two hills in Jharipani, {{Convert|8|km||abbr=on|round=0.5}} from Mussoorie town, near the famous Jharipani fall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pioneer |first=The |title=Oak Grove School: 131 years of a Glorious Heritage in Hills |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/oak-grove-school--131-years-of-a-glorious-heritage-in-hills.html |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>

[[Image:Educational Wynberg.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A view of Wynberg Allen School]]
[[Wynberg Allen School]], established in 1888, is a well-known school which ranks amongst the finest in the country. In Kanpur, during the year 1887, a group of friends, Mr. Alfred Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Foy and Brigadier J H Condon met and decided to set up a school in Mussoorie. The school was built at Jabarkhet along the Tehri road and was later shifted to the present Wynberg Estate. The object was to provide for and give to children, wholly or partly of European descent, an education based on Protestant Christian principles; to maintain such children; and to give them an academic and practical training conducive to economic welfare and happiness. It now accommodates students of all descents.<ref name=":0" />

The school consists of two branches—the Junior branch (Wynberg) and the Senior branch (Allen) and accommodates around 700 children. The school has four houses: Allen, Powell, Foy and Condon. A student from the institution is referred to as an "Alwynin".{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

[[File:CJM_Waverley_Mussoorie.jpg|right|thumb|A view of [[Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverley, Mussoorie]]]]
The [[Convent of Jesus and Mary, Waverley, Mussoorie]] was established in 1845 by the Religious Sisters of Jesus and Mary Mussoorie Educational Society.

The school is conducted by the [[Religious of Jesus and Mary|Religious Sisters of Jesus and Mary]]. It is an all-girls school and perhaps the oldest Convent school in India. Waverley is at an elevation of {{Convert|7000|ft|}} above sea level on one of the healthiest, most extensive and well wooded hills of Mussoorie. The Jesus and Mary congregation was the first congregation of Sisters to come to the north in 1842 at the invitation of Bishop Borghi the Vicar Apostolic of the Agra Mission. The Archbishop requested the sisters to come to Mussoorie to start a school for girls. In 1845 the sisters came to Mussoorie. The estate of Waverley belonging to an Italian gentleman had just come into the market and the nuns bought it. That year saw the commencement of one of the most important Catholic educational institutions in the North of India. Thousands of girls, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, have since passed through Waverley. The small inadequate bungalow which was all the accommodation at first offered, has given place to a group of tastefully conceived buildings which dominate the town of Mussoorie.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:GNFCS Shangri-la.jpg|right|thumb|Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School Shangri-La Girls Campus]]
[[File:Vincent-Hill.jpg|left|thumb|Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School Vincent-Hill Boys Campus, Mussoorie, estd. 1969]]
[[Guru Nanak Fifth Centenary School]] (GNFCS) is another one of Mussoorie's well-known schools and one of the best boarding establishments in India. Previously owned by the [[Seventh-day Adventists]] and known from 1922 to 1969 as Vincent Hill School, GNFCS purchased the land and extensive buildings and founded an international school in the sacred memory of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, on the occasion of His 500th birth anniversary, celebrated in November 1969. The girls are housed at Shangri La at {{convert|6750|ft|m|0}} above sea level on an {{convert|11|acre|m2|adj=on}} plot, wooded with cypress, cedar and oak, on the south and west, facing the snow clad Himalayan peaks, to the north. The boys are at Vincent Hill: It is {{Convert|3|km||abbr=on|round=0.5}} from the Library Chowk. Surrounded by picturesque scenery and upgrading the old Vincent Hill School, it comprises a campus spread over {{convert|45|acre|m2}}. The GNFCS prepares students in accordance with the 10+2 formula for school education, for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (10 year course) examination and the Indian School Certificate (12 year course) examination.

Other schools in Mussourie include [[Mussoorie International School]] (founded in 1984),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Origin & History {{!}} MIS India |url=https://www.misindia.net/origin-and-history.php |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=www.misindia.net |language=en}}</ref> Mussoorie Modern School,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mussooriemodernschool.com |title=Mussoorie Modern School (MMS) |website=mussooriemodernschool.com |access-date=28 March 2022}}</ref> Tibetan Homes, CST Mussoorie and St Clares Convent School.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bisht |first=Rashmi |date=2020-11-29 |title=Schools in Mussoorie - List of Top Boarding and Day Schools in Mussoorie Uttarakhand India |url=https://www.euttaranchal.com/schools/schools-in-mussoorie.php |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=www.euttaranchal.com}}</ref>

[[File:Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, at night.JPG|left|thumb|A look at [[LBSNAA]] at night.]]
Mussorie has the [[Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civilservices.gov.in |title=LBSNAA |website=civilservices.gov.in |access-date=28 March 2022}}</ref> the premier training institute for officers of the Indian Foreign Service, Indian Administrative Service and other civil services. This unique institute is about {{Convert|2|km||abbr=on|round=0.5}} from Gandhi Chowk.

The library area houses the academy of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, a central police organization belonging to the Government of India. The academy was moved to this location in 1978, consequent upon reorganization of the force, and located at two separate patches of land known as Cainville Estate (Administrative wing) and Astel estate (Combat wing) The academy has grown over the years so as to take friendly foreign countries officers as its trainees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sports, Athletic Meet & Outdoor : Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie-248179 (Uttarakhand),Govt of India |url=https://www.lbsnaa.gov.in/cms/sports-athletic-meet-and-outdoor.php |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=www.lbsnaa.gov.in}}</ref>

The academy also serves the local inhabitants as the first-responder in any major or minor rescue and relief work. The Director of the academy (as in April 2025 is Girish Chandra Upadhyay, Inspector General<ref>{{Cite web |title=Directors Message : Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie-248179 (Uttarakhand),Govt of India |url=https://www.lbsnaa.gov.in/cms/director-message.php |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=www.lbsnaa.gov.in}}</ref>

== Economy ==
The economy in Mussoorie is primarily dependent on tourism. Tourists come primarily from New Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other northern states. In Mussoorie itself, there were {{formatnum:2794108}} domestic tourist arrivals and 1865 foreign arrivals in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IP_UK_Development-of-Mountain-Forest-Resort.pdf|title=Development of Mountain Forest Resort|date=November 2018|website=uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/wp-content|access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref> There is a projected 58.5% growth forecast in foreign tourist arrivals due to EVisa nationally.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IP_UK_Development-of-Ropeways-in-Uttarakhand.pdf|title=Development of Ropeways in Uttarakhand|date=November 2018|website=uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/wp-content|access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref> Educational institutions are another contributor to the local economy. The Uttarakhand Government has created investment proposals for the development of a mountain forest resort and a development of ropeways in order to boost tourism in the region. The ropeway which was inaugurated on 6 March 2019 is being built is completed in 2022.<ref name="Ropeway">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/doon-mussoorie-ropeway-to-be-among-worlds-5-longest-ropeway-projects/articleshow/68293538.cms|title='Doon-Mussoorie ropeway to be among world's 5 longest ropeway projects' |last=Singh |first=Kautilya |date=7 March 2019|work=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref>

==Transport==
Mussoorie is connected by road to [[Delhi]] and major cities. It is called the "Gateway" to [[Yamunotri]] and [[Gangotri]] shrines of Northern India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://funalive.com/articles/mussoorie-in-dehradun-india-travel-guide_ZvM.html|title=Mussoorie in Dehradun, India &#124; Travel Guide|website=FunAlive|access-date=18 December 2019}}</ref> The nearest [[Dehradun Airport|Airport Jolly Grant]] in Dehradun is {{cvt|60|km}} away from the city<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tripcrafters.com/travel/how-to-reach-mussoorie|title=How To Reach Mussoorie (2019)|website=www.tripcrafters.com|access-date=18 December 2019}}</ref> The closest rail station is [[Dehradun]]. Within Mussoorie are taxis and buses. A ropeway between Purkul Gaon, Dehradun and Mussoorie is in the works.<ref name="Ropeway"/> This rope way is projected to reduce traffic congestion and increase tourist footfall to Mussoorie.

<gallery widths="200" heights="160">
File:Mussoorie and Landour, 1860s.jpg|Mussoorie and [[Landour]], 1860s
File:Hampton Court School, Mussoorie 01.JPG|Hampton Court School
File:Mussoorie to doon valley.jpg|Mussoorie at night.
File:Kempty Water Fall Mussoorie.jpg|Kempty Water Fall, Mussoorie (in winter)
File:Ropeway Car in Mussoorie.jpg|The Ropeway/Cable Car is a tourist attraction in Mussoorie
File:View of Deharadun from Mussourie.JPG|A view of Dehradun from Mussourie
File:Beautiful Mussoorie.jpg|View of the Hills in Mussoorie Towards Sunset
File:Mussoorie Uttarakhand India.ogv|A video of sightseeing while driving on the roads at Mussoorie
File:Himalayas at dusk from Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.jpg|Himalayas at dusk from Mussoorie, Uttarakhand
File:Dehradun from Mussoorie.jpg|View of Dehradun from Mussoorie at Night
</gallery>

==Notable people==
*Sir [[George Everest]]
*[[Ruskin Bond]]
*[[Bill Aitken (writer)]]
*[[Tom Alter]]
*[[Anita Desai]]
*[[Saira Banu]]
*[[Jamila Gavin]]
*[[Stephen Alter]]
*[[Nayantara Sahgal]]
*[[Martha Chen]]
*[[Victor Banerjee]]
*[[Saeed Jaffrey]]

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Mussoorie}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline}}
* {{ws|[[s:Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838/The Abbey, near Mussooree|The Abbey, near Mussooree]]}} An engraving of a painting by [[Thomas Colman Dibdin]] with a poetical illustration bt [[Letitia Elizabeth Landon]] in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838.<ref>{{cite book|last =Landon|first=Letitia Elizabeth|title=Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=49BbAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PA72|section=poetical illustration|page=24|year=1837|publisher=Fisher, Son & Co.}}{{cite book|last =Landon|first=Letitia Elizabeth|title=Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838|url=https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=49BbAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PA74|section=picture|year=1837|publisher=Fisher, Son & Co.}}</ref>
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070226104605/http://dehradun.nic.in/mussoorie.htm Mussoorie on official website of Dehradun district]

{{Dehradun}}
{{Municipalities of Uttarakhand}}
{{Uttarakhand}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mussoorie| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Dehradun district]]
[[Category:Hill stations in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Tibetan diaspora in India]]
[[Category:Tourism in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Dehradun]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]