Hampi, India – Ruins and Temples

Hampi is a city that is filled with fascinating ruins from the Vijayanagar Empire from the 15th Century. The city has close to five hundred historical monuments all of them dotting the hill and valleys of the location. The city is a stronghold of heritage and has an illustrious history.

The glorious history of the region is showcased and born testimony to by the numerous monuments here. There are a huge number of intricate carvings and other marvelous feats of architectures to be seen in this region.

The engravings on the various monuments have their own stories to tell of the events that happen ed centuries ago. The city was known then and now as a city that welcomed arts and culture and was a hub for both of these. The ruins of Hampi extend close to twenty six square meter of area.

The temples, gateways and palaces here are superb examples of human imaginations that are crafted in stone. There are some superbly crafted legacies to be seen here. The historical significance has earned the site a place in the List of World heritage Sites declared by the UNESCO.

The main attractions at Hampi are as follows . . .

AchyutaRaya Temple . . .

AchyutaRaya Temple is a marvel of architecture and is built in the Vijaynagara style. The temple was erected in 1534 AD and is devoted to Lord Tiruvengalanatha, Lord Shiva’s incarnation. The temple is famous for the elevated enclosures known as Prakaras. The internal an external prakaras have towers, well engraved in detail, known as Gopuras. The carvings on the temple areas are simply magnificent, be it the prakaras, the pillars within, the gopurams, the sanctum sanctorum, the courtyard and other areas.

Sri Vijaya Vittala Temple . . .

Sri Vijaya Vittala Temple is certainly the grandest structure in Hampi. You will seee carvings of all descriptions everywhere. This includes, floral motifs, elephants, horses, dancing girls, soldiers and others in superb intricate detail. The Maha Mantapa, which has been carved out of a giant monolithic pillar, is the highlight. The Famous Stone Chariot that has revolving wheels is another marvelous work of art as well as engineering.

King’s Balance . . .

Here the Kings and Queens weighed themselves in the pan, against money, gold, grain or others that later went to the poor. This is a beautiful location.