With a lot of serene and hidden gems; Karnataka also boasts the second-highest number of protected monuments, Archaeology sights, museums, and magnificent forts. This clearly indicates that if you are a history buff or someone who loves to satiate their historical sites’ wanderlust; then Karnataka is an ideal destination for you. With multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites to century-old magnificent and humongous forts and monuments; Karnataka has a plethora of places to keep you engaged. With so many magnificent monuments dotted across the state, it becomes difficult for a person to pick places. So, if you too are looking for some top-notch monuments in Karnataka, then listed below are the best places where you can visit. Build in the 13thcentury by Jaya Raja; Belgaum Fort is the pride and major landmark of Belgaum City. It is an important heritage monument of the state and reflects the history of the city. At the entrance of the fort, you can spot two shrines of Lord Ganapati and Goddess Durga each. This Chalukya Style built fort is a must-visit monument of Karnataka. Chaoubara literally means something that faces in all four directions and this ancient clock tower that’s built in the heart of Bidar is a living example of such type. This clock tower was built in the pre-Islamic period which is why it follows the semi-Islamic architecture. The tower was built for observation purposes and that’s why it is 71-feet high. The popular, magnificent, and a part of the UNESCO World heritage sites in India; Hampi Group of Monuments are surely one of a kind. These monuments are truly the epitome of the glorious Vijaynagar Empire. The temples depict the boastful architecture of this empire. If you are a history buff then this is a top-notch place for you to visit. Read More Beautifully tucked away on the edge of the Bidar Plateau, Bidar fort is one of the best monuments of Karnataka. Built by Adil Shah in the 15th Century, this is a beautiful specimen of laterite sandstone. If we were to believe the folklore, Bidar Fort has served multiple kingdoms including Mughals and Sultanates. Read More Also known as Gol Gumbaj or Gol Gumbad; this is a mausoleum Adil Shah. It was built in 1627 when he was the Sultan of Bijapur. Boasting several intriguing sculptures and their striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, gave it a name as “Black Taj Mahal.” This historical monument has been a top-notch attraction in Karnataka. Read More When it comes to visiting the best monuments in Karnataka, Chennakeshavasvami Temple is a top-notch attraction. This 12th-century temple is built in Hassan and is a worthy place to put on your list. Built by a king of the Hoysala Dynasty, the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. With a lot of intriguing carvings all over the temple, it also has a lot of medieval Hindu texts in its possession. Read More When listing the must-visit monuments of Karnataka, it is impossible not to include the Mysore Palace. It was the residence of the royal blood between 1399 and 1950. This palace is one of the best and a famous attractions of Karnataka that’s located in Mysore. The entire palace is a mix of Gothic, Hindu, and Islamic architectural styles. Read More Visiting hours: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm If you wish to go back in time then Hoysaleswara Temple is the right place for you. Located in Halebidu; this temple has a lot of fascinating sites for visitors. It is a place that houses multiple fascinating monuments some of which are exceptional. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is made in the fabulous Dravidian style. The sculptures and carvings are simply breathtaking and wonderful. Read More Built-in the heart of today’s modern city “Bangalore” is the wonderful architecture of Bangalore Palace. Built-in 1944 by the Wodeyar rulers, this building is a legacy creator of all the monuments present in Karnataka. This Tudor-style created palace is an exceptional site for those who wish to learn more about the history of Indian architecture. Also, it is one of the must-visit attractions of the state. Read More Group of Monuments in Pattadakal is listed amongst the UNESCO world heritage sites of India, and it depicts the bygone era. The monuments show the fine architecture and sculpture talent the people of that era possessed. This group of monuments is simply a treasure of Karnataka and a must-visit place of the state. Read More.List of Key Monuments in Karnataka
Belgaum Fort
Choubara
Hampi Group of Monuments
Bidar Fort
Gol Gumbaz
Chennakeshavasvami Temple
Mysore Palace
Entry Fees: Adults- 70 INR and children above 10 years- 30 INR
Best time to visit: Throughout the yearHoysaleswara Temple
Bangalore Palace
Group of Monuments in Pattadakal
General Tips:
Karnataka Tour Packages
Things To Do in Karnataka
- Best Time to Visit
- How to reach
- Art and Crafts in Karnataka
- Bidriware of Karnataka
- Carnatic Music in Karnataka
- Cultural Centers In Karnataka
- Dances of Karnataka
- Handicrafts in Karnataka
- Nrityagram in Karnataka
- Performing Arts of Karnataka
- Famous Cities in Karnataka
- Climate in Karnataka
- Culture in Karnataka
- History of Karnataka
- Shopping in Karnataka
- Fairs and Festivals
- Fairs and Festivals in Karnataka
- Hampi Festival Karnataka
- Kambala Festival in Karnataka
- Mysore Dasara, Karnataka
- Pattadakkal Dance Festival
- Pongal Festival Karnataka
- Badami Tourism
- Agastya Lake Badami
- Aihole in Karnataka
- Badami Fort Badami
- Bhutanatha Group of Temples
- Cave Temples in Badami
- Bengaluru Tourism
- Temples in Bangalore
- Art of Living International Center
- Attara Kacheri in Bangalore
- Bangalore Fort
- Bangalore Palace
- Bannerghatta National Park
- Bull Temple in Bangalore
- Cubbon Park in Bangalore
- Gardens in Bangalore
- Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple in Bangalore
- Government Museum in Bangalore
- HAL Aerospace Museum in Bangalore
- Innovative Film City in Bangalore
- ISKCON in Bangalore
- Lal Bagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore
- National Gallery of Modern Art
- Suryanarayana Temple in Bangalore
- Tipu Sultan’s Palace in Bangalore
- Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum
- Wonderla Amusement Park in Bangalore
- Tumkur Tourism
- Udupi Tourism
- Bellary Tourism
- Bidar Tourism
- Bijapur Tourism
- Chikmagalur Tourism
- Chitiradurga Tourism
- Coorg Tourism
- Tribal Life And Culture In Coorg
- Abbey Falls in Coorg
- Brahmagiri Hill in Coorg
- Bylakuppe in Coorg, Karnataka
- Chelavara Falls in Coorg
- Dubare Elephant Camp in Coorg
- Igguthappa Temple in Coorg
- Iruppu Falls Coorg
- Madikeri Fort in Coorg, Karnataka
- Mandalpatti View Point in Coorg
- Omkareshwara Temple
- Raja’s Seat in Coorg
- Sai Sanctuary in Coorg
- Tadiandamol Peak in Coorg
- Tala kaveri in Coorg
- Tibetan Monasteryin Coorg
- Unchalli Falls in Coorg
- Davangere Tourism
- Gokarna Tourism
- Gulbarga Tourism
- Halebid Tourism
- Hampi Tourism
- Hassan Tourism
- Hospet Tourism
- Hubli Tourism
- Karwar Tourism
- Madikeri Tourism
- Mangalore Tourism
- Kadri Manjunath Temple Mangalore
- Kudroli Gokarnath Temple Mangalore
- Moodabidri Jain Temple Mangalore
- Someshwar Beach Mangalore
- St. Aloysius Chapel Mangalore
- Sultan Battery Mangalore
- Tannirbhavi Beach Mangalore
- Ullal Beach Mangalore, Karnataka
- Manipal Tourism
- Mysore Tourism
- Bandipur National Park
- Brindavan Gardens in Mysore
- Chamundi Hills in Mysore
- Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore
- Karanji Lake in Mysore
- Keshava Temple in Bangalore
- Melukote in Mysore
- Mysore Dasara
- Mysore Palace
- Mysore Zoo
- Nagarhole National Park
- Rail Museum in Mysore
- Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
- Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
- St. Philomena Church in Mysore
- Pattadakal Tourism
- Raichur Tourism
- Sakleshpur Tourism
- Shimoga Tourism
- Shravanabelagola Tourism
- Sringeri Tourism
- Srirangapatna Tourism
- Coracle Crossings Hampi
- Historical Places in Hampi
- Achyutaraya Temple Hampi
- Balakrishna Temple Hampi
- Elephant Stables, Hampi
- Hazara Rama Temple, Hampi
- Kadalekalu Ganesha Temple Hampi
- Lakshmi Narasimha Temple Hampi
- Monolithic Bull Hampi
- Queen’s Bath Hampi
- Stone Doors Hampi
- Sule Bazaar Hampi
- Ugra Narasimha Statue Hampi
- Virupaksha Temple Hampi
- Vittala Temple Complex Hampi
- Museums in Hampi
- Archaeological Museum Hampi
- Rock Climbing in Hampi
- Tourist Attractions in Karnataka
- Beaches in Karnataka
- Devbagh Beach Karwar, Karnataka
- Gokarna Beach
- Karwar Beach Karnataka
- Kapu Beach Karnataka
- Malpe Beach Udupi, Karnataka
- Mangalore Beach
- Marawanthe Beach Udupi, Karnataka
- Murudeshwar Beach Karnataka
- Netrani Island Beach Karnataka
- St. Mary Island Beach Karnataka
- Suratkal Beach Karnataka
- Ullal Beach Mangalore, Karnataka
- Hill Stations in Karnataka
- Agumbe Hill Station Karnataka
- Kemmangundi Hill Station Karnataka
- Kodachadri Hill Station Karnataka
- Kudremukh Hill Station
- Kundadri Hill Station Karnataka
- Nandi Hills Karnataka
- Yana Hill Station Karnataka
- Bidar Fort Bidar, Karnataka
- Vidhan Soudha Bangalore
- Citadel Bijapur
- Daria Daulat Bagh Mysore
- Gol Gumbaz Bijapur
- Gulbarga Fort Karnataka
- Historical Monuments in Karnataka
- Ibrahim Rouza Bijapur
- Jaganmohan Palace And Art Gallery
- Kittur Chennamma Fort Kittur, Karnataka
- Srirangapatna Fort
- Statue of Gomateshwara Sravanbelgola Karnataka
- Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
- Museums in Karnataka
- Archaeological Museum Hampi
- Folklore Museum in Mysore
- Indira Gandhi Manav Sangrahalaya Mysore
- Temples in Karnataka
- Sri Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple
- Cave Four of Cave Temples Badami
- Cave One of Cave Temples Badami
- Cave three Of Cave Temples Badami
- Cave two Of Cave Temples Badami
- Chennakeshava Temple Belur
- Devi Mookambika Temple Mangalore
- Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple in Bangalore
- Hidimbeshwar Temple
- Hoysaleshwar Temple Halebid
- Keshava Temple in Bangalore
- Mahakuta Temple Badami
- Mallikarjuna Temple in Bangalore
- Omkareshwara Temple
- Sri Durga Temple Aihole
- Temples in Badami
- Temples in Hampi
- Virupaksha Temple Pattadakal(Pampapathi temple Hampi)
- Waterfalls in Karnataka
- Abbey Falls in Coorg
- Hebbe Falls Chikamagalur, Karnataka
- Honnemaradu in Karnataka
- Iruppu Falls Coorg
- Jog Falls in Karnataka
- Kalhatti Falls Chikmagalur
- Lalguli Falls Gokarna, Karnataka
- Magod Falls Dandeli, Karnataka
- Nisargadhama Falls Coorg
- Sathodi Falls Dandeli, Karnataka
- Shivasamudram Falls Karnataka
- Unchali Falls Karnataka