Hampi
King’s Palace
The largest enclosure in Hampi, the King’s palace includes two major platform structures, an underground chamber which must have served as a treasury or private audience hall, several platforms and double fortification walls, besides other interesting architectural elements.
Virupaksha Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Pampadevi, this is the only temple here that is still used for worship. Parts of the temple predate the Vijayanagara empire. The temple, with its nine storied gopuram, towers above the other structures at Hampi. The ceiling of the Ranga Mantapa is beautifully painted with scenes from the epics and Puranas.
Ganesha Images
Two Ganesha images(Sasuvekalu and Kadalekalu) can be seen on the slopes of the Hemakuta Hill. One of them is enclosed in a temple with unusally tall pillars, while the other is in an open hall.
Lakshminarasimha
The awesome 6.7 meters high monolith depicting the man-lion form of Vishnu is seated on a seven hooded serpent.
Badavilinga
Located next to the Lakshminarasimha statue, the Badavilinga is 3 meter high and stands permanently in water that flows through an ancient channel.
Vijaya Vithala Temple
The Vijaya Vithala Temple is Hampi’s crowning glory, with a magnificent stone chariot standing temple courtyard. Equally impressive is the large Ranga Mantapa with 56 musical pillars that resound with musical chimes when struck.
Elephant Stables
An imposing edifice with arched entrances and many domes that once housed the magnificent state elephants.
Pushkarni
The stepped water tank, excavated in the mid 1980’s, was originally a part of the palace complex. Almost lyrical in its beauty, the tank is a tiered structure crafted from rectangular pieces of granite.
Lotus Mahal
This visually appealing strucutre has two levels, with open pavilions at the bottom and balconies above. Highlighting the fusion of the Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture, the Mahal derives its name from its beautiful, geometrically arranged cusped arches that resemble the petals of the lotus opening to the sun.
Hazara Rama Temple
The royal temple reserved for ceremonial use, the Hazara Rama Temple is embellished with bass reliefs depicting scenes from the epic, Ramayana. The walls of the enclosure are richly carved with friezes depicting processions of horses, elephants, dancing girls and soldiers attired in splendid armour. Inside, four exquisitely sculpted granite pillars add to the beauty of the Ardha Mantapa.
Mahanavami Dibba
Equally impressive is the massive Mahanavami Dibba, where the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire once sat upon their gem studded golden throne and watched processions pass by. The structure is also embellished with densely carved bands of horses, soldiers ans depictions of various aspects of courtly life.
Queen’s Bath
Though the exterior may appear simple, the interior is stunningly ornate, with graceful arched corridors, projecting balconies and lotus shaped fountains that once spouted perfumed water for the ladies of the court.