Hampi is a small town in North Karnataka, known for its historical civilization. It is a UNESCO certified World Heritage Site located in Bellary district of Karnataka.
Ugra Narasimha, Hampi
In medieval India, Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565, when it had got abandoned. It was a fortified city then. It was a prosperous, wealthy and a grand city near the Tungabhadra River, with numerous temples, farms and trading markets. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second-largest city, after Beijing, and probably India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal.
The Vijayanagara Empire was defeated by a coalition of Muslim sultanates; its capital was conquered, pillaged and destroyed by Sultanate armies in 1565, after which Hampi remained in ruins. Hampi's ruins are spread over 4,100 hectares (16 sq mi) and it has been described by UNESCO as an "austere, grandiose site" of more than 1,600 surviving remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India that includes "forts, river-side features, royal complexes, temples, shrines, pillared halls, memorial structures and others".
Elephant Stables, Hampi
The nearest city from Hampi is Hospet, located 13 KM away in Karnataka. Hospet is well connected to several important cities in India by road and rail. The nearest airport from the city is Jindal Vidyanagar airport, which is 36 KM away, serves flights to and from Bangalore and Hyderabad every day. Bangalore is 330 KM away from Hospet by road via NH 50. KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) Buses operate between Hospet and Bengaluru regularly.
