Karnataka: One State, Many Worlds is the tag line of the Karnataka Tourism Department and clearly specifies what the state is in regard to tourism. The state of Karnataka is rich with several World Heritage Sites, historical monuments, temples, beaches, forts, hill stations, dams, waterfalls, natural reserves, and modern developments. From the Gol Gumbaz in Bijapur to the Utsav rock garden in Shiggaon, this state fulfils all the aspects of perfect tourism. Karnataka, thus ranks sixth amongst the major tourist attracted states in the Indian subcontinent. The state also has the second-highest number of centrally protected monuments. Some of the major tourist attractions here include Gol Gumbaz, Hampi, Pattadakal, Aihole, Badami, Basavana Bagewadi, Basavakalyana, Annigeri, Bankapura, Dambai, Basavakalyan fort, Gulbarga fort, Nargund fort, Gokarn, Udupi, and many more.
Major Tourist Attractions in Karnataka
Gol Gumbaz: It is one of the magnificent sites and worth visiting place in Karnataka. The Gol Gumbaz means “Rose Dome” and is a monument situated in the city of Bijapur. It is a mausoleum of Sultan of Bijapur, Mohammed Adil Shah and was built in 1656. The monument is considered as the “Structural Triumph of Deccan Architecture” even after having a very simple design. The mausoleum is said to have one of the biggest single chamber spaces in the world with an area of 1700 sq m. The structure of this dome includes a cube capped by a dome. The insides of the dome consist of a Whispering Gallery, where the softest sound made can be heard on the other side of the mausoleum. The other major attractions of this monument include intersecting arches inside the dome, carvings on the wall, the minars, etc. This place has always been a major tourist attracted place in the state of Karnataka.
Group of Monuments at Hampi: Hampi is one of the UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites in Karnataka and is often referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi. This is one of the oldest settlements in India and dates back to 1st CE. Hampi became a major city after becoming the capital of the great Vijayanagara Empire. Situated around 74 kilometres from Bellary, Hampi is one of the most magnificent places to visit in India. Some of the major attractions in Hampi include Hemakuta group of temples, Hazara Rama temple, Achyutaraya temple, Lotus temple, Virupapur Gudda, Elephant Stables, Anegondi, Sasivekalu Ganesha, Anjeyanadri Hill, Virupapura, Aqueducts and Canals, Zenana enclosure, Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura, Vittala temple, Badava Linga, Underground temple, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, and many more.
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal: Situated in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, the group of monuments at Pattadakal is the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site. These temples date back to the 8th century CE and display the Dravidian as well as the Nagara style of temple architecture. Pattadakal was the capital of the Chalukyas dynasty, which was also ruled by the Rashtrakutas and Kalyana Chalukyas. Pattadakal is a worth visiting place, including several sculptured temples such as Virupaksha temple, Sangameshvara temple, Mallikarjuna temple, Kashivisvanatha temple, Kadasiddhesvara and Jambulingeswara temple, Galganatha temple, Jain Narayana temple, Pattadakal temples, and the Ugranarasimha and Nataraja temples. The site of Pattadakal is a worth visiting place with several fascinating carved temples and sculptures.
Temples of Aihole: Situated to the east of Pattadakal, the temples of Aihole also possess the potentials to be included as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Due to the artistic history of Aihole, it has always been considered as one of the notable places in Karnataka. Aihole holds several temples from the Chalukyan Dynasty and cists of the pre-historic period. Thus, the area has been a major attraction of researchers and archaeological experts. Some of the major attractions of this site include Durga temple complex, Ambigera Gudi Complex, Galaganatha temple complex, Mallikarjuna temple complex, Rock-cut Jain Basadi, Chikki temple, Gauri temple, Rachi temple, Buddhist temple, Kunti temples complex, Jaina temples, Charantimath complex, Eniyar temple complex, Hucchimalli temple complex, and many others.
Badami: The city of Badami was the early capital of the Chalukyan Empire in the 6th Century. This city is famous for its cave temples dedicated to the Hindu Lord Vishnu and Shiva. The carvings and paintings inside these caves are other major attractions of this place. These caves also have several inscriptions in the old Kannada script that dates back to 543 CE. Some of the major tourist attractions here include the Mallikarjuna group of temples, Bhutanatha group of temples, Buddhist cave, Badami fort, Malegitti Shivalaya, Dattatreya Temple, Banashankari Temple, Archaeological Museum, and the Badami caves. The Badami caves are numbered from one to four. The first two caves are associated with the Hindu lords Vishnu, the third cave is associated with Hindu Lord Shiva, and the fourth cave is associated with Jain guru Mahavira.
Mysuru: This city is the second-largest and one of the must-visit cities in Karnataka. Mysuru has been a major town since olden times. The city was known as the Mysore Kingdom and was ruled by the Wodeyar family. Prior to becoming the Mysore Kingdom, the city also served as the major part of the Vijaynagara Empire. Today, Mysuru has several tourist attractions including the Mysore Palace, Amba Vilas Palace, St. Philomena’s Church, Jaganmohan Palace, Lalitha Mahal, Jayalakshmi Vilas, Regional Museum of National History, Folk Lore Museum, Railway Museum, Krishnarajasagar Dam, Nagarhole National Park, Bandipur National Park, and many other attractions.
Annigeri: The town was once the capital of Chalukya Someshwara 4 and is situated in the Dharwad district of Karnataka. Annigeri is famous for its black stone temple named Amruteshwar temple built by the Western Chalukyan Empire. The temple is dedicated to the 23rd Tirthankara of Jain, Parshva. The other attractions of Annigeri include two Lingayati Mathas and seven mosques, Mahadeva Temple, Banashankari Temple, Gajina Basappa temple, Hire Hanuman temple, and Puradhireshwar temple.
Basavakalyana: This place was the capital of Later Chalukyas and is situated in the Bidar District of Karnataka. The town has an old fort containing an Archaeological museum. One still gets to see several remains of the Chalukya era. The Chalukya Narayanpura temple is another major attraction of Basavakalyana and is situated on the outskirts of this town. The other major attractions here include Basavakalyana fort, Shiv temple at Narayanpura, Anubhav mantap, Basaveshwara temple, a statue of Allamaprabhu, and Jalasangvi.
Gokarna: Gokarna is one of the famous Hindu pilgrim centres and a popular tourist destination. The town is situated in the Uttara Kannada district and is famous for the Mahabaleshwara Temple dedicated to Hindu Lord Shiva. The other major temples here include Maha Ganapathi Temple, Uma Maheshwari Temple, Venkataramana Temple, Tamra-Gauri Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, and Varadaraj Temple. Gokarna is also famous for several fascinating beaches such as Om beach, Main Beach, Half moon beach, Paradise Beach, Kuddle beach, and Gokarna beach.
Karwar: This is another major tourist attraction destination is situated in the Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka. Karwar is famous for its beaches, temples, mosque, waterfalls, forts, churches, and national parks. Some of the must-visit places in Karwar include Oyster Rock Lighthouse, Durga Devi temple, Chindia Falls, Devkar falls, High Church, Jamiya mosque, Naganath temple, Binaga beach, Majali Beach, Chaitanya Park, Shahkaranuddin Dargah, Ansi National Park and many more. Karwar holds some of the magnificent tourist attractions and must be visited on a trip to Karnataka.
Major Airports and Railway Stations in Karnataka
Bengaluru (Kempegowda International Airport, Railway Station)
Mangalore (International Airport, Railway Station)
Hubli (Domestic Airport, Railway Station)
Belgaum (Domestic Airport, Railway Station)
Hampi (Domestic Airport, Railway Station)
Bellary (Domestic Airport, Railway Station)
Mysuru (Domestic Airport, Railway Station)
Karnataka is a fully stuffed tourist destination offering its visitors a lifetime experience. From the historical monuments to the most magnificent beaches, this state is a perfect tourist destination. The Karnataka Tourism Department also welcome tourists all over the world by providing several tourism packages, perfect accommodations, and transport facilities.
