Amritsar is the city home to the Harmandir Sahib, widely known in English as the Golden Temple.
The shrine stands in the centre of the Amrit Sarovar, or Pool of Nectar, in the historic walled complex of Amritsar in Punjab, India. The city’s name is connected with the sacred pool and the settlement that grew around it.
Guru Ram Das founded the settlement, and Guru Arjan developed the central shrine and arranged for the Adi Granth to be installed there in 1604. The building has entrances on all four sides, symbolizing openness to people from every direction.
The name Golden Temple refers to the gold-plated exterior added chiefly during the early nineteenth century. Harmandir Sahib is the shrine’s Sikh name, so the two names refer to the same central sanctuary rather than separate temples.