Hampi in Karnataka has been the seat of the grandeur of the great Vijayanagar Empire and the magnificent ruins one can see today remind us of the glory of Vijayanagar. Early in the fourteenth century this part of the country saw some of the bloody conflicts when the Mughal emperors sent their commanders down South to establish their ascendancy and the systematic resistance offered led to the rise of the Vijayanagar Empire__a citadel of resistance against the political aggrandizement of the Mughals.
Few can afford to forget the name of the great Krishna Devaraya (1509-29 AD), the greatest of the Vijayanagar ruler who brought glory to Hampi and symbolised its golden age. His army defeated the Bahamani Sultans, conquered Telengana and maintained diplomatic relations with the Portuguese. With his death faded the splendour of both Vijayanagar and Hampi which was virtually desecrated by the Mughal invasion. Western historians described Hampi "as large as Rome" and "the best provided city in the world". Some of the landmarks of Hampi can be seen along the banks of the Tungabhadra and the hills nearby. There are famous temples in the vicinity like the Virupaksha Temple dedicated to Lord Siva and the Vitthala Temple.
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