The ruins of Vijayanagara, capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 until its destruction in 1565, spread across a dramatic boulder-strewn landscape on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. The site includes the still-active Virupaksha Temple, and the Vittala Temple complex famous for its ornate stone chariot and musical pillars that produce different tones when struck. At its peak the city was one of the largest in the world, described by visiting Portuguese and Persian travellers as rivalling Rome in scale. The empire's sudden fall after the Battle of Talikota in 1565 left the city abandoned, preserving its temples, markets and royal structures as an unusually complete record of a pre-colonial Indian capital.
Did you know? Hampi's Stone Chariot at Vittala Temple isn't just decorative, its wheels were once capable of turning, and the site's musical pillars are said to produce different notes when tapped, though striking them is now prohibited to protect the stone.
Good for
HistoryArchitectureFamilies
Opening hours
Mon-Sun
6 AM - 6 PM
Tickets
Adult Indian
₹30
Foreigners Adult/Kid
₹500
Kids/Students Indian
Free
Facilities
Restroom (At the Vittala Temple complex)GuideShopParking