🏰 Badami Fort

Badami Fort is a hill fortress in the town of Badami, formerly, known as Vatapi. It is located in Bagalkot district, Karnataka, India. The fort was established in the mid-6th century CE, it was the seat of the early Chalukyas of Badami and served as the dynastic capital from about 543 CE to 757 CE. The fort complex occupies two rocky hilltops overlooking the town and Agastya Lake. It incorporates extensive fortifications like masonry walls, bastions, observation posts and gateways, as well as rock-cut passages and carved rooms. Within the fort are several ruined temples, water reservoirs, granaries, and other structures. Over the centuries, the fort was modified by successive rulers from the Vijayanagara Empire, the Bahmani and Adil Shahi sultans, and the Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan before falling into ruin. Today the fort is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a protected heritage monument, and an adjacent museum display many of its recovered inscriptions and sculptures.