Hampi or Hampe, is also known as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in east-central Karnataka state of India. It is a holy expedition place of the Hindu religion.
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire within the 14th century. Chronicles left by European and Persian travellers, mainly the Portuguese, say that Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and giant city near the Tungabhadra River, with numerous temples, farms and trading market places. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was second-largest medieval-era city in the world after Beijing and doubtless India’s richest at that point, attracting traders from Portugal and Persia. The Vijayanagara Empire was destroyed by a coalition of Muslim sultanates; its capital was conquered, destroyed and pillaged by sultanate armies in 1565, then Hampi remained in ruins.
The Virupaksha temple is that the oldest shrine, the principal destination for pilgrims and tourists, and remains a lively Hindu worship site. Parts of the Shiva, Durga and Pampa temples existed in the 11th-century; it was later extended during the Vijayanagara era. The temple here is a collection of couple of smaller temples, a frequently repainted, 50-metre (160 ft) high gopuram, a Hindu monastery dedicated to Vidyaranya of Advaita Vedanta tradition, a cistern (Manmatha), a community kitchen, other small monuments and a 750 metres (2,460 ft)-long ruined stone market with a monolithic Nandi sanctum on the eastern end.
The Krishna temple, which is also known as Balakrishna temple, in the opposite direction of Hemakuta hill, is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) south of Virupaksha temple. It is dated to 1515 CE; a part of the Hampi complex is named Krishnapura in inscriptions. In front of the ruined temple may be a long market street, also mentioned locally because the bazaar. Between the colonnaded stone shop ruins may be a broad road that allowed chariots to move goods to and from the market, and hosted ceremonial functions and festive celebrations. To the north of this road and middle of the market may be a large Pushkarani—a public utility-stepped cistern with an inventive pavilion in its centre. Next to the tank is a public hall (mandapa) for people to sit
The Achyutaraya temple, which is also known as the Tiruvengalanatha temple, is about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east of Virupaksha temple and a neighborhood of its sacred centre is on the brink of the Tungabhadra River. It is mentioned be in Achyutapura in inscriptions and is dated to 1534 CE. It is one among the four largest complexes in Hampi. The temple is unusual because it faced north. It is dedicated to Vishnu.
The Hemakuta hill lies between the Virupaksha temple complex to the north and therefore the Krishna temple to the south. It is a set of modestly sized monuments that are the best-preserved samples of pre-Vijayanagara and early-Vijayanagara temples and construction. The site has several important inscriptions, is definitely accessible and provides views of the some parts of Hampi and therefore the fertile, agricultural valley that separates the sacred centre from the urban core with its royal centre
The Square Water Pavilion, also called the Queen’s Bath, is within the south-east of the royal centre. It has a pavilion, a water basin and a way of moving water thereto and removing wash water and overflows. The basin is enclosed within an ornate, pillared, vaulted bay. Nearby are ruins of the aqueduct. The modern name of this building, the Queen’s bath, is perhaps a misnomer because this was a public bath for men and travellers. The building’s interior arches show influence of the Indo-Islamic style, reflecting an era during which Hindu and Muslim arts influenced one another in India