Scattered over 26 square kilometers, these 14th Century ruins designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites are a delight to watch and explore if you appreciate the imagination and diligence of human potential. And strangely these same ruins reminds you of the utter destruction which can be wrought upon by humans themselves. The ruins give a peek into the splendor and wealth of a bygone era, a lesson that civilization and progress leads to creation and excellence and degeneracy leads to war and destruction. The first settlement in Hampi dates back to 1st century AD and a number of Buddhist sites belonging to that time have been found nearby. The seat of the Vijayanagara Empire was established by Saint Vidyaranya in 1336 AD with the help of two of his disciples, Hakka Raya and Bukka Raya. The kingdom flourished under the rule of Emperor Krishnadevaraya and stretched over the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Hampi has an interesting story attached to it from the Indian epic Ramayana. It is believed that Kiskindha, where Vali used to rule, was located near Hampi. The monkey chief had a quarrel with his brother Sugriva and Sugriva along with Hanuman took refuge on Matanga Parvat. It is believed that when Ram and Laxman came looking for Sita after she was kidnapped by Demon King Ravana, they stayed on the Malyavana Hill nearby awaiting Hanuman’s return who had gone to search for Sita – She was eventually located in Lanka, the kingdom of Ravana. Also there are a number of legends attached with the rise of Vijayanagara Empire during whose reign the Hampi attained its golden age. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire and was an extremely important part of the Empire from 1343 to 1565. It maintained a huge army to protect it from other kingdoms. As a capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, Hampi grew as a trade center for cotton, spices, and gem stones. It was one of the richest and largest cities in the world during 15th and 16th centuries. After the death of Krishnadevaraya, the invading Deccan Muslim Sultanate forces destroyed Hampi and the rampage was continued for one year.
Some of the notable monuments are Elephant Stables, Hazara Rama Temple, Kadalekalu Ganesh Statue, Krishna Temple, Lakshmi Narasimha Statue, Lotus Mahal, Mahanavami - Dibba, Queens Bath, Sasivekalu Ganesha Statue, Virupaksha Temple, Vitthala Temple etc!