Bangalore -- located 1,000m above sea level is one of the most 'happening'
places in India. Bangalore, which literally means the 'town of baked beans',
was founded by Kempe Gowda, a chieftain of the Vijayanagar Empire, around
the 16th century. He built four towers in four directions to specify its
boundaries. However, Bangalore has far exceeded these limits since.
Prime Attractions / Places To See
The Bull Temple - The 4.57m high and 6.10 m long image was
built by Kempe Gowda, in the 16th century.
Vidhaan
Soudha - A marvel of neo-Dravidian architecture and one of the most
imposing building not only in Bangalore but in India, the Vidhaan Soudha
houses the state legislative assembly of Karnataka and part of the
Secretariat.
Tipu's Palace - The summer palace of Tipu Sultan was built
in Bangalore. The entire structure is built of teakwood. This
double-storeyed ornate structure was constructed in 1781-1791 AD.
Shopping in Bangalore - Bangalore is famous for the
shopping malls, which have some of the finest and biggest showrooms in
India. This electronic capital of India has been attracting people for
Sandal wood, Silk and hand woven materials.
Excursions From Bangalore
Ramohalli - This picnic spot is located 28 kms from
Bangalore on the Mysore road. Ramohalli is a beautiful picnic spot with a
KSTDC restaurant.
Mysore - The erst while capital of the Wodeyars is 140 kms
from Bangalore. This city has retained the charm it had acquired during the
reign of Wodeyars. Mysore is also known as the 'City Of Palace'.
Hassan - 194 kms from Bangalore is Hassan, from where one
can go to Belur, Halebid and Sravanabelagola. Sravanabelagola is a famous
Jain pilgrimage with a 17m high monolith of lord Bahubali standing tall.
How To Reach Bangalore
Bangalore - The Silicon Valley of India and every tourist's dream travel
destination is well connected with domestic airlines and also catering to
few international flights. Bangalore, being the capital , has excellant road
services to adjoining states and has a strong network of rail services with
two major stations the Banglore City and Banglore Cantt.
Banglore By Air : Bangalore has its own airport with
almost all the major domestic airlines catering services to the city. The
airport is 6 kms from city centre. Few selected international carriers also
operate their flights to the city.
Banglore By Rail : Bangalore has two railway stations, the
Banglore City and Banglore Cantt. The major trains from and to Banglore
terminate & start from the city station. Banglore is well connected to
all the major towns of India.
Banglore By Road : Being the capital city of Karnataka,
Bangalore has very good motorable roads to various parts of the state. Some
of the bus services are also serving the adjoining states.
340
kms from Bangalore lies Hospet. Its tourist importance lies in its proximity
to Hampi, the site of the medieval Vijayanagar Empire, situated about 13 kms
away.
The Tungabhadra Dam here harnesses the sweet waters of the Tungabhadra
river. At the base of the dam is a garden styled along Japanese lines.
Prime Attractions
Chitradurga
On the Highway linking Bangalore to Hospet, one comes across Chitradurga, a
quaint town with its famous Fort. This marvel of military architecture, made
impregnable by the Nayak Paleyagars has 19 gateways and 38 postern
Harihareshwara.
Hampi
353 kms from Bangalore and 74 kms from Bellary is Hampi. A World Heritage
Centre, Hampi is the most beautiful and evocative of all the ruins in
Karnataka.
The erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar Kingdom, Hampi is full of
delightful surprises. King's Balance is the balance where kings were
weighted against grain, gold or money, which was then distributed to the
poor.
Queen's Bath with its arched corridors, projecting balconies and
lotus-shaped fountains that once sprouted perfumed water, the two-storeyed
Lotus Mahal with recessed archways are architectural delights.
The huge Elephant Stables, the splendid Vithala Temple with its musical
pillars and the Stone Chariot, the Virupaksha Temple, still used for
worship, Ugra Narasimha, the 6.7 m tall monolith, the Pushkarini Tank, the
Mahanavami Dibba are all worth visiting. The once-powerful Vijayanagar
Empire was compared to Rome by the Portuguese traveller Paes.
How To Get There
Rail : Hospet is connected to Bangalore , Bellary, Gadag,
Bijapur and Hubli-Dharwar.
Road : there is a well-developed road network.
