Hampi Group of Monuments

The Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi, Vijayanagara district, Karnataka, on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River. It comprises the ruins of Vijayanagara, the 14th-16th century capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, spread over 4,100 hectares. The site includes Dravidian temples, palaces, fortifications, pillared halls, and monolithic sculptures set among granite boulders, noted for its architecture and historical importance.

Visitors can explore a vast boulder-strewn landscape along the Tungabhadra River dotted with ruined temples, palaces, fort walls, pillared mandapas, monolithic statues and ancient bazaars. Key areas include the Sacred Centre with active temples like Virupaksha, the Royal Centre with Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stables, and the Vittala Temple complex with its stone chariot and musical pillars. Movement is on foot, bicycle or auto-rickshaw between dispersed monuments with viewpoints from Matanga Hill and riverfront ghats.

Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka. At its peak in the 14th-16th centuries under rulers such as Krishnadevaraya, it was one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. The city was destroyed after the Battle of Talikota in 1565. The ruins exhibit Dravidian and Vijayanagara architecture and were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

The site is an important Hindu religious centre with Virupaksha Temple still in active worship, associated with Pampadevi and Lord Shiva. It showcases Vijayanagara art, Dravidian temple architecture, and traditions of music, sculpture and urban planning. The annual Hampi Utsav (Vijaya Utsav) celebrates the cultural heritage with dance, music and processions.