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Karnataka can be defined best as one state with many worlds. It is entrenched on the basin of Laccadive Sea, faces the Arabian Sea in its west and shares its borders with Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the other side. Ranked as the 4th most popular tourist destination in south India, Karnataka has a bouquet of attractions that it offers to all the visitors. The place has woven a rich history and is a home to many ancient and enchanting monuments, temples, forts and caves that effectively draws the tourists from different directions of the country. Having numerous options for travelers to explore the cultural heritage, Karnataka is a well connected city that can be accessed by roads, airways and railways. And it hasnaahhit might spoil the excitement, so take a look at historical places in Karnataka by reading below.
The sobriquet temple complex of Karnataka is befitting for Aihole. Located in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, Aihole for boasting 125 temples that are built in a splendid Chalukyan architecture. The architecture flourished around 6th century AD during the reign of Badami Chalukyas and at present, this complex is a strong contender for the position of UNESCO world heritage site.
Surrounded by Agastya Tirth reservoir on 3 sides, Badami is a home of beautiful cave temples and fortresses carved beautifully out of sandstone. Formerly known as the capital of Chalukyas, Badami boasts a number of Dravidian architectures that sustain a blend of north and south Indian culture. The 3 major cave temples at Badami are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahavira.
Perched on the banks of river Yagachi, Belur is a temple town and is popular as a jewel in the Indian cultural heritage. Chennakesava temple, a marvelous shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is a prime attraction in Belur. It was built by Shantaladevi, the wife of Hosayala king Vishnudeva and the intricate architecture of the temple has walls carved with green soapstone.
Having a rich history, Bidar used to be among the most flourishing cities in south India during 11-16th century. Ruled by powerful dynasties like Chalukyas, Tughlags and Khiljis, there exists a number of alluring marvels in Bidar that includes temples, mosques and tombs. Solah Khamba mosque, Rangni Mahal, Shiva Mandir and Bidar fort are notable attractions at the place.
Halebidu is known as a glorious sparkling ruin as it is a great showcase of culture, architecture and imprints of the royal past. The regal capital of the Hoysala Empire in 12th century, Halebidu houses the glorious temples Hoyalesvara and Kedaresvara that are an alluring marvel in its complex. All the monolithic sculptures are carved out of soapstone and reflect skilled craftsmanship.
Present day famous UNESCO world heritage site, Hampi was the flourishing capital of Vijaynagar Empire till 15th century. The famous group of monuments at Hampi defines its rich historical culture. Covering an area of 30 square kms, the ruins of monuments are preserved in an excellent condition. Virupaksha temple, Vitthala temple, Lotus palace, Narsimha temple are popular sites that should be visited.
Located at the foothills of Chamundi hill ranges, Mysore is the 3rd largest city in Karnataka that served as the capital of Kingdom of Mysore for six centuries. Ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, the patrons of art & culture, Mysore city received great contribution by the ruler of dynasty like the Mysore Palace, Mysore style of painting that fetched it the sobriquet of cultural capital of Karnataka.
Located on the left bank of Malaprabha River, Pattadakal is a town built in a blend of Dravidian and Nagara architecture. Pattadakal is a UNESCO world heritage site and has temples as prime attractions that offer it a unique identity. The must visit list of temples include names like Sanghameshwara temple, Kasiviswanatha temple and Mallikarjuna temple.
Shravanbelagola is a popular city and an important pilgrimage center for Jains. There are two hills in Shravanabelagola namely Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri where Chandragupta Maurya meditated. The vivacious monolithic statue of Gommateshwara is located on Vindhyagiri and is the largest monolithic statue in world. More than 800 inscriptions are present on both these hills.
Somnathpur is a city in Mysore and is named after Somnath, the army commander of King Narsimha III of Hoysala dynasty. Somnath was an ardent follower of Lord Keshava and built a marvelous temple, Chennakesava, in Hoysala architecture as a tribute to his deity. The temple has 3 interconnected sanctums and is a popular historical site in Karnataka.
An egg shaped island enclosed by river Kaveri, Srirangapatna was a capital of Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan. Srirangapatna is a city that has multiple sites with a historical and religious relevance. Ranganathaswamy temple, a marvelous shrine of Lord Vishnu and Daria Daulat, the Indo-Sarcenic palace of Tipu Sultan are prime attractions in Srirangapatna.
Entrenched on the mutual bank of Krishna & Malaprabha River, Kudalasangama is an important shrine for the followers of Lingayat religion. The enchanting structure of the temple has idols of Basavesvara and Ganapathi in the shrine. The alluring interiors are carved intricately with floral and animal designs.
Known as the Gaya of south India, Avani is a historical temple town that has ancient temples that are dedicated to Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughana like that date back to the period of Nolamba dynasty. This place also boasts the temple of Goddess Sita where she gave birth to her twin sons, Luv & Kush, during her exile stay in the ashram of sage Valmiki.
Erected beautifully in Dravidian architecture, Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple is a shrine in Nandi hills devoted to Mahadeva. It dates back to 9th century and remained under the patronage of Chola, Hoysala and Ganga dynasties. The entire complex has many beautifully carved sculptures of Nandi and the sanctum holds the idol of Mahadeva.
Channapatna is a city town in Karnataka famous for its wooden toys and lacquer ware. The origin of these toys is traced back from the period of Tipu Sultan as he invited the Persian artisans to train the local artisans for making the wooden toys. As a result of popularity of these toys, Channapatna is known as Gombegala Ooru or the toy town.
Kurudumale is a small place in Mulbagal taluk, kolar in Karnataka. This is a famous temple town that boasts a marvelous life size structure of Ganapathy in the complex of Someshwara temple that attracts hundreds of visitors. According to a legend, the Gods from heaven descend for recreation on earth at this place.
Holding an historical past, Magadi is an ancient town that was founded by the Chola dynasty in 1139 AD. Magadi is known for having Ranganatha Swamy temple, an enchanting marvel whose foundation was laid by the Cholas. The alluring temple displays intricate carvings on pillars and the main shrine comprises idols of various deities like Sri Rama, Devi Sita and Goddess Lakshmi etc.
Entrenched amidst the profuse green woods, the Kavala caves is a historical pilgrimage site in Karnataka. This site is formed naturally and has a self manifested Shiva Linga that is made up of limestone. Kavala Caves has many winding tunnels and is a home to many bats and snakes. Tourists as well as devotees need to crawl 40 ft. in tunnels to catch a glimpse of Shiva Linga.
Constructed with late-rite stones on the banks of Aganashini River, Mirjan fort is a fort that sings the glories of past. An amazing fusion of Islamic and Portuguese architecture, Mirjan fort has witnessed battles and joys during the reign of different dynasties. Presently, it preserves the ruins of royal furniture and displays the lifestyle lived by the Kings in 12th century.
A small town with enchanting temples, Belavadi is situated in Chikmagalaur in Karnataka. All the temples in the vicinity of Belavadi are constructed in Hoysala architecture and have labyrinthine carvings. The most popular structure is Veernarayana temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Interesting fact about the temple is that on every year, 23rd March is the date when the rays of the sun directly enter into the sanctum of temple.
Blessed with sufficient green surroundings and coconut trees, Banavasi is a temple town that was the capital of the Kadamba dynasty that ruled the region for centuries. There are many temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and the most famous is Madhukeshwara Mandir, a 9th century marvel. Banavasi had been a cultural center known for the yakshagana art form. During the annual December fest, artisans sell a lot of yakshagana masks.
Built on the rocky hills of Yadugiri, Melkote is a sacred town in Mandya district, Karnataka. It boasts architectures that display the finest craftsmanship of ancient era that include many temples like Narsimha temple and Cheluvanarayana Swamy temple, libraries and handlooms. Other attractions of the town are educational institutes and Melkote wildlife sanctuary.
Carved with a rich past and heritage, Talakadu is a mystic place that is nestled on the banks of River Cauvery. Talakadu is submerged in the sands of fine quality of architectures of ancient era and is well known for Vaidyanatheshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Having magnificent carvings inside and sculptures on its exteriors, this temple draws many devotees from different corners of the country.
Chand Bawdi is a tank in the historical fort of Bijapur. This tank was constructed by Ali Adil Shah in the memory of his beloved wife, Chand Bibi, to meet the needs of migrants within the town. Chand Bawdi is known as the largest tank in Bijapur as it has a capacity of holding 20 million liters of water.
Elephant stables were a part of the Zenana fort in Vijayanagar Empire that was an enclosure for the elephants of royal family. There are 11 dome shaped structures, built in semi Islamic style that served as a shelter for accommodating 2 elephants in each stable. These stables were not harmed much during the Mughal attack on Hampi.
As mentioned on the peak one state-many worlds, Karnataka truly deserves this sobriquet for boasting different places that tell a different story of their own. Karnataka has various monuments that hold their importance due to their heritage and identity. This Indian state is among those places where an individual gets to know about the heritage from the grass root level. Apart from these historic monuments, Karnataka is very rich in natures bounty and wildlife. It also has 5 national parks and 25 wildlife sanctuaries. Hence, there are no doubts why it has emerged as a popular tourist destination with a historical past.
