Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, one of the great kingdoms of South India, until its sack in 1565. Its ruins, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986, are spread across a dramatic landscape of granite boulders beside the Tungabhadra river.
The sacred centre
Around Hampi Bazaar and the Virupaksha Temple lies the area of temples, ghats and pavilions often called the sacred centre. The Vittala Temple, with its celebrated stone chariot, is further east along the river.
The royal centre
To the south, the royal centre holds the remains of palaces, audience halls and the Lotus Mahal. Distances between sites are considerable, so many visitors hire a bicycle or an auto-rickshaw for the day.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hosapete Junction, from where Hampi is a short road journey.
