Durgapur as we know of today, dates back to the creation of the Durgapur Steel Plant. However, history of the region dates ways back. Some of best historical sites:
1. Rahreshwar Shibtola. This temple, quite unbelievably, is more than 800 years old (according to the Archaeological Survey of India). It is build in the style of Rathas of Southern India, which also is pretty amazing. Lovely serene environment. Take a few steps out and you will see the remains of a British airforce airport.
2. Bhabani Pathak's Tilla: Made famous in the novel By Bankim Chattopadhyay, an unbelievable network of tunnels starting near the City Center region right up to the Damodar river. Legend has it that unless you knew the map of the tunnel system, it would nearly be impossible to navigate. In our childhood we ventured inside. Nowadays, it is a protected monument(the entrance of the cave). But you would be able to visit the place.
3. If you are adventurous enough, then there is the Garh Jungle on the Eastern end of the city. Once you start going in (you can ride on a motorbike), you will wind the road just waves in crests and troughs. This used to be a mud fortress. If locals legend is to be believed, this was created by the last of the Sen Kings. Deeper you go the more beautiful it is. Till you reach a concrete temple (a Kali temple). Once again, there is a story behind it. During a seige of the fortress, the Kali idol was thrown into a pond to protect it from sacrilege. It has since be rertieved and restored.
4. Go deeper till you can see the Ajoy river. Here is another amazing peice of architecture: A Shiva temple made of burnt clay bricks exactly in the shape of the famous "Linagaraja temple" of Bhuvaneshwar. Sadly it is in a state of complete disrepair.
I can go on and on with other sites. For the intellectual tourist, Durgapur has plenty to offer. You need to know where to go.....