Extending from the Arabian Sea and the fertile forested ridges of the Western Ghats, with their thriving plantations of coffee, spices and fruit, to the drier boulder-strewn region of the Deccan Plateau, Karnataka’s scenic diversity is striking. Equally varied are its historical monuments. These range from the 6th – 8th century Hindu temples at Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole, the earliest to be found in South India, to Tipu Sultan’s 18th century, European-style island fort at Srirangapattana, and the extravagantly turreted early 20th century palace on Mysore. Other sights include the superb temples at Belur and Halebidu, the colossal Gomateshwara monolith at Sravanbelgola and the magnificient ruins of Hampi, the site of the great citadel of Vijayanagar. In northern Karnataka are the medieval citadels of the Deccan sultans at Bijapur, Gulbarga and Bidar, their walls enclosing mosques, audience halls and royal tombs.
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