Most of us don’t know much about the southern part of India. But believe me; the South India is equally rich in heritage and history like the other parts of India. The big dynasties which ruled over centuries in South India have erected innumerable monuments, forts and temples to exhibit their great history and wonderful craftsmanship.
This blog is all about the places which you must visit to know more about the historical places in South India.
1. Mysore Palace
This palace is the most visited historical place in India. The magnificent Mysore palace was earlier the resident of the Regal Family but now, it is converted into a museum for the visitors. The Regal Family still resides in a section of this palace.
The architecture of Mysore Palace is wonderfully blended in Hindu, Muslim, Gothic and Rajput styles. The museum exhibits the paintings of the regal family, Gifts, Royal furniture, Gold Palanquin and many more. The striking interior, the detailing on the doors, ceilings and walls will make you speechless.
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Mysore Palace |
Best Time to Visit Mysore Palace: Mysore
Palace can be best
explored from September to June.
Entry Charge: The charge is 75 bucks per person.
2. Halebidu
Halebidu is
a city located in the Karnataka state and is one among the best historical places in India. This entire
city is an assortment of many ancient temples, complexes and Jain
archaeological sites. All these structures display the Hoyasala style of
architecture as during 12th century Halebidu was the capital of the
Hoysala Dynasty.Though these
ancient monuments are now in ruins yet the beautiful sculptures and the rich
history of this location attracts innumerable visitors all through the year.
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Halebidu |
Best Time to Visit Halebidu: The best time to visit Halebidu is from September to May.
Entry Charge: No entry charge is needed to visit this historical place.
3. Hampi
This UNESCO
World Heritage Site is one of the renowned historical
places in South India. Situated in the Karnataka state, the historical town
of Hampi is surrounded by valleys,
hills and more than 500 years archaic temples & monuments which dates back
to the Vijayanagar Dynasty.
The entire town is an historical museum and the
striking 14th century architectures attract tourists from all over
the globe to visit this charming town of Hampi.
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Hampi |
Best Time to Visit Hampi: Hampi can be best visited from September to April.
Entry Charge: The entry charge is 20 bucks for Indians and 300 bucks for foreigners.
4. Lepakshi
Lepakshi is a small village which comes under
the Anantpur district, Andhra Pradesh. This village is very significant as it
comprises ancient temples, hanging pillars which belong to the medieval period.
These 16th century temples were constructed by the two Governers of
the Vijaynagara Dynasty namely,
Viranna and Virupanna Nayaka. The astonishing carvings and sculptures in and
around this place make it a paradise for the art and history lovers.
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Lepakshi |
Best Time to Visit Lepakshi: The best time to visit Lepakshi is in between October to April.
Entry Charge: This historical place is free for all visitors.
5. Gol Gumbaz
Gol Gumbaz is situated in Bijapur, Karnataka.
It is a circular dome mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah, the 7th King
of the Adil Shah Kingdom. Gol Gumbaz also houses the tombs of daughters and
wives of the King of Bijapur.
This mausoleum is inspired by Deccan and Indo-Islamic
style of architecture and was constructed in the year 1656. This amazing
architectural wonder was designed by the architect Yaqut who was from Dabul.
Gol Gumbaz is one of the renowned places
to visit in Karnataka and is also considered as "South India’s Taj Mahal".
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Gol Gumbaz |
Best Time to Visit Gol Gumbaz: The best time to visit Gol Gumbaz is from September to March.
Entry Charge: Entry charge is 20 bucks for Indians and 100 bucks for foreign citizens.
6. Charminar
Charminar is one amongst the significant places
to visit and is located in the heart of Hyderabad city. According to some
historians, this monument was erected when the capital of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah was shifted from Golconda to Hyderabad. But
as per others, Charminar was constructed to show the people the end of plague
in the Hyderabad city.
This monument is called Charminar as it comprises 4
minarets and every minaret has 4 stories. These minarets have arches and each
arch has one clock and one cat’s head on it. The cat’s head is to protect
against rats which previously razed the Hyderabad
city. You will get many shops surrounding Charminar for buying souvenirs and artefacts.
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Charminar |
Best Time to Visit Charminar: You can best visit Charminar from October to April.
Entry Charge: The entry charge is 10 bucks for Indians and 100 bucks for foreigners.
7. Chola Temples
The Chola Temples comprises three
superlative temples constructed by the rulers of Chola Dynasty. The Chola Dynasty ruled over centuries in South
India and they erected innumerable magnificent temples there. Out of all these
temples three were declared as the UNESCO World Heritage namely, Brihadeeshwara
Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Airavateshwara Temple at Darasuram and
Brihadeshwara Temple in Tanjore.
These 3 temples were constructed in between 11th
and 12th century. These 3 temples are the most renowned historical places to visit in Tamilnadu,
India where you can better witness the brilliant craftsmanship and splendour of
the bygone era.
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Chola Temples |
Best Time to Visit Chola Temples: These temples can be best visited from October to March.
Entry Charge: No entry charge is needed.
8. Mahabalipuram
The
historical town of Mahabalipuram is
situated on Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal and is only 58 kms away from
Chennai. Also popular as Seven Pagodas,
Mahabalipuram is one amongst the famed historical
places in India. This historical town was established in 7th
century by King of the Pallava Dynasty, Narasimhavarman II. There are 11
temples located on both the directions of the Mahabalipuram hills.
These
temples were constructed with granite in Dravidian style of architecture and
also have Buddhist components. You can see countless striking carvings on the
walls. Descent of Ganges, Cave temples, Arjuna’s Penance are the most popular
spots among the tourists. This town is declared as UNESCO World Heritage. Every
year tourists across the globe visit Mahabalipuram to witness the famous dance
festival which took place from December to January.
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Mahabalipuram |
Best Time to Visit Mahabalipuram: The best time is from October to March.
Entry Charge: Entry Charge is 20 bucks for Indians and 350 bucks for Foreigners.
9. Golkonda Fort
Golkonda Fort is a grand fort and a famous tourist place positioned only 12 kms away from Hyderabad. The grandiosity of this fort, the striking architecture and the great history makes it a must visit historical place in South India. Golkonda fort was founded by the Kakatiyas for their western defence.
Though now in ruins, yet you should never miss this place where the Kohinoor diamond was placed.
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Golkonda Fort |
Best Time to Visit Golkonda Fort: The perfect time to explore this amazing fort is from September to March.
Entry Charge: The entry charge is 15 bucks, 200 bucks for foreigners and 25 bucks for camera.
10. Meenakshi Amman Temple
Meenakshi Amman Temple is a Hindu Temple situated in Madurai, Tamilnadu. This historical temple is dedicated to the deity Parvati, who is also called as Meenakshi and deity Shiva. Here you can gain positivism and holiness while worshipping the Gods and Goddesses.
This temple has breathtaking architecture and that is why, it is among the world’s 7 wonders. Meenakshi Temple is one among the most visited temples of South India and you should never miss to explore the striking pillars and fourteen gateways of this temple.
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Meenakshi Amman Temple |
Best Time to Visit Meenakshi Amman Temple: The best time to visit is from September to April.
Entry Charge: No entry charge is needed.
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