World Heritage Identification Number: 241
World Heritage since: 1986
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇮🇳 India
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific
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Exploring the Group of Monuments at Hampi: A Testament to the Grandeur of the Vijayanagara Empire
The Group of Monuments at Hampi, situated in the town of Hampi in Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India, stands as a remarkable testament to the architectural prowess and cultural significance of the Vijayanagara Empire. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, this awe-inspiring complex offers visitors a glimpse into the opulent past of one of the most powerful kingdoms in medieval India.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries. Conquered by the Deccan Muslim confederacy in 1565, the city was pillaged over a period of six months before being abandoned.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (i): The remarkable integration between the planned and defended city of Hampi with its exemplary temple architecture and its spectacular natural setting represent a unique artistic creation.
Criterion (iii): The city bears exceptional testimony to the vanished civilization of the kingdom of Vijayanagara, which reached its apogee under the reign of Krishna Deva Raya (1509-1530).
Criterion (iv): This capital offers an outstanding example of a type of structure which illustrates a significant historical situation: that of the destruction of the Vijayanagara kingdom at the Battle of Talikota (1565 CE) which left behind an ensemble of living temples, magnificent archaeological remains in the form of elaborate sacred, royal, civil and military structures as well as traces of its rich lifestyle, all integrated within its natural setting.
Encyclopedia Record: Hampi
Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the town of Hampi in Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi predates the Vijayanagara Empire; it is mentioned in the Ramayana and the Puranas of Hinduism as Pampa Devi Tirtha Kshetra. Hampi continues as a religious centre, with the Virupaksha Temple, an active Adi Shankara-linked monastery and various monuments belonging to the old city.Additional Site Details
Area: 4,187.24 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 15.31444 , 76.47167
