Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
11 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
15 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
22 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
22 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All India Chitradurga Chitradurga Fort

Chitradurga Fort

This sprawling stronghold has been at the center of some of South India's bloodiest wars.

Chitradurga, India

Added By
Vijay Murthy
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Amigo&oscar/CC BY-SA 3.0
  Amigo&oscar/CC BY-SA 3.0
Siddeshwara Temple in Chitradurga Fort   Sanjay Godbole / CC BY-SA 4.0
  Ankit Darsi / CC BY-SA 4.0
Rangayyana Bagilu, Fort Gate   Sajeeshsivanandan/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Kushal P K/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
  Gpkp/CC BY-SA 4.0
Jail at Chitradurga Fort   https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandikhane.jpg
Inner ramparts of Chitradurga Fort, circa 1868   Henry Dixon / Archaeological Survey of India Collections / Public Domain
View of Chitradurga Fort from across Chandavalli lake.   Vcpvinay / CC BY-SA 3.0
View of the city from the fort   Ms Sarah Welch/CC BY-SA 4.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Though it it has been long abandoned and many of its buildings lie in ruins, Chitradurga Fort was at the center of Deccani politics for three centuries. It was originally brought to prominence by a branch of the Nayaka clan, but the fort has ties to even earlier periods in India's history. Carvings of the Edicts of Ashoka dating to the 3rd century BCE have been found at the fort, and a legendary duel described in the Mahabharata between the hero Bhima and the man-eating demon Hidimbasura is said to have taken place on its grounds.

The Nayakas built their stronghold in Chitradurga in the 1500s. The neighboring Vijayanagara Empire wanted to exert more influence in the region and brought the fort under their control for a time, then fell in the 1600s. The Nayakas resumed their rule in the region and expanded the fort even further.

At the height of Nayaka rule, Chitradurga Fort had 18 temples, 19 gateways, 38 posterior entrances, 35 secret entrances, multiple reservoirs and warehouses, and 2,000 guard towers. The fort successfully repelled a near-constant stream of would-be invaders until 1779, when it fell to Hyder Ali of the Kingdom of Mysore. After the British defeated Hyder Ali's successor Tipu Sultan elsewhere in Mysore, Chitradurga Fort fell under British control. Called Chitaldoorg by the British, the fort was then used to station British troops.

Today, Chitradurga Fort is a beloved landmark in Karnataka, but it is little-known in the rest of India, let alone the rest of the world. While much of its history has been marked by bloodshed, it serves as a cultural monument and place of unity for Kannadigas.

Related Tags

Fortresses Forts Legends Temples

Know Before You Go

The fort is open from dawn to dusk. Visitors should note that the fort is not wheelchair-accessible, and many sections contain steep inclines. Tickets must be bought at the front gates, and entrance fees are ₹5 for Indian citizens and ₹100 for foreign nationals.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Delhi and Rajasthan: Colors of India

Discover Colorful Rajasthan: From Delhi to Jaipur and Beyond.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

vijayhm

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

February 7, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.thehistoryhub.com/chitradurga-fort-facts-pictures.htm
  • https://www.oyorooms.com/travel-guide/chitradurga-fort-travel-guide/
  • https://web.archive.org/web/20110515154647/https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/blewis/www/chitradurga.htm
  • https://www.edexlive.com/people/2019/sep/25/how-daredevil-jyothi-rajs-ascend-to-the-top-in-the-field-of-rock-climbing-is-beyond-admirable-8369.html
Chitradurga Fort
Chitradurga, 577501
India
14.216049, 76.398913
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Stepped Tanks of Hampi

Hampi, India

miles away

Hampi

Hampi, India

miles away

Hanging Pillar of Lepakshi

Lepakshi, India

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of India

India

Asia

Places 338
Stories 107

Nearby Places

Stepped Tanks of Hampi

Hampi, India

miles away

Hampi

Hampi, India

miles away

Hanging Pillar of Lepakshi

Lepakshi, India

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of India

India

Asia

Places 338
Stories 107

Related Places

  • Chittorgarh Fort

    Chittorgarh, India

    Chittorgarh Fort

    A former bastion of Rajput chivalry, this massive hill fort is the site of legend and tragedy.

  • Pay your respects at the Thunder Well of Kuwabara.

    Izumi, Japan

    Kuwabara Thunder Well

    Electricians pray for luck at this place where, according to legend, the god of thunder was once trapped.

  • Altit, Pakistan

    Altit Fort

    The history of the oldest fort in Baltistan is steeped in familial rivalry and gruesome deaths.

  • The allegedly haunted temple staircase.

    Ichikawa, Japan

    Namida-ishi

    A single block in this stone staircase to the temple is mysteriously always wet.

  • Tokyo, Japan

    Grave of Hattori Hanzō

    Here lies Hattori Hanzō, a samurai who is remembered as a legendary ninja in today’s popular culture.

  • Step inside an ancient date honey storeroom.

    Karbabad, Bahrain

    ‘Madbasa’

    This underground art installation recreates an ancient date honey storeroom.

  • Hisardžik, Serbia

    Mileševac Fortress

    This medieval fortress guards a monastery near the border of Serbia and Montenegro.

  • Bahla Fort

    Bahla, Oman

    Bahla Fort

    If you dare visit this fort, fire-breathing hyenas might devour your camels.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.