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Badami Fort

Badami Fort

heritage site · Karnataka

Badami Fort sits atop a red sandstone hill about 2 km from Badami town in Bagalkot district, Karnataka.

State
Karnataka
Type
Heritage Site

Badami Fort sits atop a red sandstone hill about 2 km from Badami town in Bagalkot district, Karnataka. Badami (ancient Vatapi) was the capital of the Chalukya dynasty, and the fort overlooks the town's famous rock-cut cave temples, an artificial lake, and the Bhutanatha temple complex.

Badami Fort is known for

Chalukya dynasty capitalrock-cut cave temples nearbysandstone hill fortificationsUpper and Lower Shivalaya templesearly Deccan temple architecture

A short history

Pulakeshin I, the first sovereign ruler of the Badami Chalukyas, captured and fortified the hilltop of Vatapi (Badami) in 543 CE, making it the Chalukya capital from roughly 543 to 757 CE. Pulakeshin II (r. 610-642 CE) expanded the fortress but was defeated by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I in 642 CE, after which Pallava forces captured the city. By the 14th century the Vijayanagara Empire controlled the region and strengthened the fortress walls, and the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur later maintained control. Tipu Sultan captured Badami in 1786; following the 1792 Treaty of Seringapatam the British gained influence, dismantling parts of the fort walls by 1845. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badami_Fort]

Why Badami Fort matters

As the capital of the early Chalukya dynasty and gateway to the rock-cut cave temples, Badami is considered one of the cradles of early Deccan temple architecture and a nationally significant heritage site.

When to go

September to March, best December-January

How to reach

Badami has its own railway station with connections to Bengaluru and Belgaum; it lies about 30 km from Bagalkot and 132 km from Hubli.

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