Hampi, the prime tourist attraction of Hospet, is well known for its
architecture and historical significance and gets its name from the
Tungabadra River on whose banks the city is built. The city lies within
the now-ruined capital city of the Vijayanagara empire- Vijayanagara.
The impressive ruins are now a World Heritage Site. The best known works
of the Vijayanagara style of architecture are brought out in the
structures at Hampi. They include temples and even secular royal
structures. The famous Virupaksha temple housed at Hampi has Lord Shiva
as the presiding deity and draws many devotees to the place. At the
entrance of the temple is a 160 feet high tower. Other places of tourist
interest in and around Hampi are the Madhavan Palace- rich with over
10,00,000 pillars, the Kings balance, the Queens bath with projecting
balconies and lotus-shaped fountains, and the Anjeyanadri Hill - the
underground temple.
The Lotus Mahal at Hampi with its buried archways speaks volumes of
the architectural excellence of the period. The Mahal is a standing
example of the delightful blend of the Indo-Islamic style of
architecture. The Lotus Mahal remains the best preserved courtly
structure of the Vijayanagara Empire.
The impressive Vithala temple with musical pillars and an exceptional
stone chariot is the crowning glory of Hampi. The large Ranga Mandapa
(open-hall) has 56 musical pillars which reverberate musically when
struck, however this practice is now discouraged to avoid further damage
to the structure.
Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura holds artifacts that were
collected from the ruins of Hampi. Also on display are sculptures and
idols of Gods. The excellent display helps one to get an idea of the
layout of the area in the bygone days. In spite of the fact that the
museum is tiny, it is worthy of the visit.
Tungabadra dam which is a multi-purpose project is also at Hospet. The
dam is the largest dam at Karnataka and over the years has become a
picnic spot that is worth visiting. At the base of the dam is a Japanese
styled garden which is an ideal spot for picnics and leisure.
Chitradurga, referred to as the Place of Stones, is a hill and fort
town with numerous places of tourist interest. The famous fort of
Chitradurga lies enclosed in a series of seven walls and is famous for
its military architecture. Another specialty of the fort is that it has
nineteen gateways. The temple also accommodates several prehistoric
temples.
Shri Kumaraswamy temple, the oldest and one of the famous temples in
Karnataka, is in Sandur which is also located in Bellary district.
Another place of interest near Hospet is Bommaghatta. Harihar, located
at Hospet, is a temple attraction. There is a belief that a dip in the
Tungabadhra River along the ghats of Harihar will relieve a person from
all his past sins. A temple that was built in the year 1223 depicting
the Hoysala architecture and which is dedicated to Lord Harihaeshwar is
the main attraction of the town.
