Monuments at Hampi

Splendor of the erstwhile Vijaynagar empire and Hindu culture reflects in the architectural wonders found at Hampi. The heritage site lies in the Deccan heartland and in close proximity to the Hospet city of Karnataka. The decayed ruins of Vijaynagar empire in and around Hampi village are sprawling in an area of 26 sq kms. Outstanding historical monuments were built between 1336-1570 AD, during the reign of Harihara I and Sadasiva Raya.

Declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, Hampi is a thriving centre for the globetrotters. The site is surrounded by rocky granite stones on three sides and river Tungabhadra in the north. Ruins at Hampi stands testimony to the patronage of the Vijaynagar Kings to art and architecture. Attractive sculpted temples with intricately carved pillars, large dimensions, florid ornamentation, royal platforms, bastions, treasury buildings and magnificent pavilions and stunning architecture of other historical monuments mesmerizes the visitors. The walls of holy shrines are adorned with traditional carvings depicting the tales from Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Some of the most fascinating sites in Hampi includes Hemakunta Hill with monolithic sculpture of Narasimha and ruins of Jain Temples, Virupaksha Temples enhanced with 50m high gopuram, Achutaraya Temple, Sule Bazaar, Vittala Temples, Royal Centre, Purandaradasa Mandapa, Queen's Bath and Mahal, Mahanavami Dibba, Pushkarini Tank, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Mustard Ganesh, Noblemen's Palace, Virupaksha Tank and many more.

Major Attractions of Hampi


Malyavanta Raghunathswamy
The majestic temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. The outer walls of Malyavanta Raghunathswamy are adorned with carvings of strange looking fishes and marine monsters.

Virupaksha Temple
Located at the western end of Hampi Bazaar, the ancient temple dates back to the 11th or 12th century. Virupaksha temple houses the shrines of Pampa, Shiva and Bhuvaneswari.

Stone Chariot
One of the most fascinating attraction at Hampi, the Stone Chariot is an architectural wonder. It rests on a richly sculpted basement, with a roof supported by large granite pillars, all cut from single block of stone.

House of Victory
The magnificent building was erected to commemorate the victory of Krishnadeva Raya over the King of Orissa. Elegantly carved spaces between the rows of the plinth-moldings are marvelous. The nearby located Hazara Ramaswami temple served as a place of worship for the royal family. The temple is beautified with the series of scenes from the great epic – Ramayana.

How to Reach
Air
The nearest airport from Hampi is at Bellary (74 kms)

Rail
Hospet is the nearest railhead from Hampi (13 kms)

Road
Regular KSRTC buses ply from Bangalore to Hospet.