Travelling is an emotion for travellers who love to keep their minds roaming from one place to another. And if you are a history lover then definitely historical places are your point of attraction. Explore these historical places to satiate the hunger for wanderlust. In this article, I will focus on the different historical places near Bangalore.
Best Historical Places Near Bangalore
The IT Capital of India provides technological opportunities to the young generation. But there are numerous breathtaking historical places to visit near Bangalore.
It is a whole new world altogether in terms of heritage which brings an amalgamation of cultural, religious, political and traditional history.
Here is a list of the most popular historical places near Bangalore
Hampi
Hampi, the City of Ruins, is situated at 340 km from Bangalore in North Karnataka. This renowned UNESCO world heritage site is placed on the banks of Tungabhadra River. This small village is glorifying the ruins of the city of Vijayanagar, once the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire (1343-1565).
Hampi is one of the best heritage places as well as the most popular tourist destination in South India. Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, Anjanadri temple, Mahanabami Dibba, Queen’s Bath, Hampi Bazaar, etc. are a few of the most-visited places.
Emperor Krishnadevaraya ruled the kingdom from 1509-1529. He was considered the greatest ruler of the Tuluva Dynasty.
Mysore
Located at a distance of 139 km from Bangalore, Mysore is called the City of Palaces. If you are planning for a South India trip, then Mysore will be one of your favourites, and also it is the second-largest city in Karnataka.
After the Vijayanagar Empire was declined, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan reigned over Mysore (1761 – 1799) from Srirangapatna.
After Tipu Sultan’s death, Mysore was again handed to the Wadiyar family. Here, heritage buildings, old traditional palaces, temples, and monuments are illustrating the charm of the Mysore Maharajas (the Wadiyar emperors).
Mysore Zoo, Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hill temple, and Brindavan gardens are major attractions for a family outing.
Madurai
Madurai is one of the prime sites of heritage and a pilgrimage point in India. It is proudly known as Athens of the East. It is situated on the banks of River Vaigai in Tamil Nadu.
It is the 3rd largest city in Tamil Nadu, and you can make Madurai as a base station for visiting Thanjavur, Rameswaram, Trichy, and Kodaikanal.
Meenakshi Temple, Koodal Alagar Temple, and Thirumalai Nayak Mahal are few of the historical places in Madurai.
Magnificent architecture is considered as a masterpiece of sculpture in these temples. Several traditional festivals are also performed in these temples.
Tiruchirappalli
Tiruchirappalli, also known as Trichy, is the administrative headquarters of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the famous tourist places situated on the banks of the Cauvery River. Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, Rockfort Temple, Jambukeswarar Temple, and the St John’s Church are most loved places.
The history of this place was prominently known from the time of Cholas and then ruled by the Pallavas. But it remained the possession of Cholas.
It then came under the Nayaks of Madurai, and later followed by Tanjore Marathas, the Carnatic Nawabs, the French, and finally ruled by the British Empire.
Alampur
Another historical place is Alampur situated in the Mahbubnagar district of Telangana. This place is well-known for a Shakti Peetha of Goddess Durga called Jogulamba Temple.
Two other temples named Navabrahma temples and Sangameswara Temple were built in the 7th century. Chalukya King Pulakesi II took the initiation to build these temples during his visit to Alampur.
Ancient historical inscriptions from 7th to 16th centuries can be found in these temples. Near to Alampur, you will also witness the merge of two mighty rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra. It is an important pilgrimage location as this place was ruled by several dynasties.
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Badami
Badami is located at 457 km from Bangalore in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. It is a historical place as it was the capital of the imperial Chalukyas from 540 – 757 AD. This place is full of awe-inspiring sandstone cave temples, magnificent architecture, and numerous scenic views.
Badami fort and many other temples are worth-watching that is situated on the banks of the Agastya lake.
There are three Hindu temples and one Jain temple. The Hindu temples are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The wonderful mural paintings and eye-catchy carvings depict various Puranic characters from Hindu mythology.
The red sandstone hills are another unique experience that you can have in Badami.
Pattadakkal
Pattadakkal, also known as The Temple Town, is another UNESCO world heritage site, situated 439 km from Bangalore. This historical place is famous for the Chalukyan Group of Monuments. The coronation of the Chalukyan kings was held in this place.
The temples present here are larger in terms of South Indian temple architecture. This 6th to 9th century’s temple showcases the grandeur of art and culture during that time.
Numerous architectural styles like Dravidian, Phamsana, Nagara, and Gajaprastha models are visible here.
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Aihole
Aihole, located on the banks of Malaprabha River in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, is 443 km away from Bangalore.
This UNESCO world heritage site is popular for the presence of more than 125 temples built during the 5th to 8th centuries. Few were also built by Rashtrakutas and Kalyani Chalukya during the 12th century.
Durga Temple, Ravana Pahadi, Ladkhan Temple, and Archeology Museum are few among them. The main temples are situated within a radius of 2-3 km.
These temples are preserved by the archaeological department. Different architectural styles can be seen here from ancient times.
Bidar
Bidar has situated in the extreme North Karnataka almost 687 km from Bangalore. You can experience an architectural brilliance from the ancient South Indian Dynasties in the monuments, temples, and tombs. It is ideal for the one-day trip destination. The city is popular for its Bidri handicraft items.
Bidar Fort was built in the 15th century. It is a huge fort made by Bahmani Sultan Ahmad Shah. Madarsa of Khoaja Mahmud Gawan and Barid shahi garden places to visit in Bidar.
Sikh Pilgrimage is also very popular due to the existence of Gurudwara Sri Nanak Jhira Sahib. Papnash temple is a very peaceful place with a lot of scenic beauty.
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Belur and Halebid
Belur is located at 217 km away from Bangalore. The grand Hoysala temple present here is a UNESCO world heritage site that is dedicated to Lord Chennakesava.
Belur is one of the most popular tourist places to visit near Bangalore. It was ruled by the powerful Hoysala Empire.
Halebidu (or Halebid) is situated in Hassan District of Karnataka State, 211 km away from Bangalore. UNESCO world heritage site Hoysala Temples of Hoysaleswara and Kedareswara was built in 1121 AD.
This temple is most popular for the beautiful and intricate carvings and sculpting that has a metal-like polishing.
Bijapur / Vijaypura
Bijapur (or Vijayapura), called as the City of Victory, is almost 533 km from Bangalore. It was founded by the Chalukya Dynasty during the 10th to 11th centuries. The influences fell upon Bijapur by various dynasties made a cultural hub.
Bijapur displays a wide range of magnificent mosques, palaces, monuments, tombs, and structures. The splendid architectural work, carvings, and symmetry were inspired by the Islamic style. Gol Bumbaz, Ibrahim Rauza, Malik-e-Maidan, Jami Masjid, Gagan Mahal, etc. are some of the places to visit in Bijapur.
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Melkote / Melukote
Melkote / Melukote, also known as Thirunarayanapuram, is a historical town located 133 km from Bangalore. This place is built on the Cauvery valley of Yadavagiri or Yadugiri hills.
The historical significance of this place is that the great Vaishnava saint Sri Ramanujacharya used to reside here for 14 years during the 12th century.
Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple are the two most famous temples present here. The temples are supported by the Wadiyars, the Mysore royal family.
They provided valuable jewellery, including two beautiful crowns to the Lord. There are three ponds in Melukote, out of which, Kalyani pond, surrounded by wonderful stone-carved pillared mandaps is the largest one.
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Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram (or Mamallapuram) is located at Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu. Mahabalipuram can be a weekend getaway for tourists looking for historical sites. You can witness shore temples that were built in the 7th century.
The temples of Mahabalipuram are made with rock-cut architecture from the reigns of Narasimha Varman.
This place is well-known for the manmade caves, structured temples, monolithic giant sculptures, monuments, and scenic beauty. Thirukadalmallai temple, Crocodile Bank, Cholamadal Artist’s Village, Tiger Cave, and Mahabalipuram Beach are few of the popular tourist locations.
Mamallapuram Dance Festival is another renowned celebration organized by the Department of Tourism.
Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram is one of the eminent pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest cities, that has a rich cultural history in India. Located in Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram is also known as Kanchi.
It was once served as the capital town of the Pallava dynasty. After the fall of Pallavas, the town was ruled by the Cholas from the 10th to 13th centuries.
The temples present here are having grand and unique styled architecture. Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kailasanathar Temple, Karchapeshwarar Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Ekambaranatha Temple, etc. are a few of the big temples in Kanchi.
You just cannot miss this place if you want a true sense of heritage and culture.
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Somnathpur
Situated at 137 km from Bangalore, Somnathpur is a peaceful town which can become a wonderful weekend outing.
The Somnathpur temple is the most-loved historical tourist spot where you get to see rustic ambience, holy premises with elaborate and intricate work on the carvings.
Prasanna Chennakesava Temple is one of the three famous Hoysala temples that have UNESCO world heritage site status. It was built by Somnath who was the General of King Narasimha III, on the banks of Cauvery River.
The metal-like polishing in the sculptures and carvings present in the temples are amazing to see for the visitors.
When you are planning a trip to Bangalore, make sure that you can accommodate a few more destinations to your plan. The places near Bangalore that are well-known for their historical presence will help you to explore Indian history.
History-lovers and kids of all ages will definitely enjoy the visit to ancient temples, old towns, and age-old attractions from the past.
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