Bhopal is said to have been founded by the Parmar King Bhoj (1000–1055), who had his capital at Dhar. The city was originally known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal') that he is said to have constructed to form the lakes surrounding Bhopal. The fortunes of Bhopal rose and fell with that of its reigning dynasty. As the Parmaras declined in power, the city was ransacked several times and finally faded away into obscurity. Bhopal, the second largest Muslim state in pre-independence India was ruled by four Begums from 1819 to 1926.

Bhopal has an average elevation of 499 metres (1637 ft). Bhopal is located in the central part of India, and is just north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges. Located on the Malwa plateau, it is higher than the north Indian plains and the land rises towards the Vindhya Range to the south. The city has uneven elevation and has small hills within its boundaries. The major hills in Bhopal comprise of Idgah hills and Shyamala hills in the northern region and Arera hills in the central region.

Bhopal has a humid subtropical climate, with mild, dry winters, a hot summer and a humid monsoon season. Summers start in late March and go on till mid-June, the average temperature being around 30 °C (86 °F), with the peak of summer in May, when the highs regularly exceed 40 °C .

* Upper Lake : The largest artificial lake in Asia.
* Lake View : A stretch of road on the shore of the great or Upper Lake. It is a popular joint for people of all age groups, especially young. The road continues into Van Vihar National Park.
The Boat Club is also located here and national level water sporting events are organized by the club.
* Van Vihar National Park : A zoological park with the status of a national park, it is situated south of the Upper Lake.
* New Market : A shopping and commercial zone in the city housing a number of eateries, restaurants, cloth shops and showrooms, bakeries, mobile stores etc
* Taj-ul-Masajid : It is one of the largest mosque in Asia and is also used as a madrasah.
* Aquarium Building
* Bharat Bhawan
* Lal Parade Ground: The independence day and republic day parade are held in this ground. It is also the venue of large gatherings.
* Museum of Natural History
* Takri : A hindu and jain temple, situated on a hill cliff, this place is popular for the scenic views it offers of the city below. A rope-way has been installed and people also have the option to reach the spot on foot.

Bhopal, is a fusion of scenic beauty, old historic city. Bhopal, is divided as; Old Bhopal and New Bhopal. Bhopal is One of the greenest cities of India, it has wide, clean, well-lit roads lined with fiery, tall Gulmohar trees. Bhopal is known for its exquisite manners and high culture. To this day, shairis and poetry recitals are as popular in Bhopal as in movies. Typical Bhopalis, residing in the old city, are known for their nafasat, Bhopal is a growing city of India with educated manpower with technological skills and English language skills in abundance.