| Chitradurga Fort | |
|---|---|
| Karnataka, India | |
 One of the seven layers of Chitradurga fort | |
  Chitradurga Fort  Chitradurga Fort | |
| Coordinates | 14°12′55″N 76°23′43″E / 14.2152°N 76.3953°E |
| Type | Fort |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Government of Karnataka |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13-16th century |
| Built by | Chalukyas |
| Materials | Granite stones |
| Battles/wars | Nayakas against Hyder Ali in 1760s, 1770s and 1799 |
Chitradurga Fort, or as the British called it Chitaldoorg,[1] is a fortification that straddles several hills and a peak overlooking a flat valley in the Chitradurga District, Karnataka, India. The fort's name Chitrakaldurga, which means 'picturesque fort' in Kannada, is the namesake of the town Chitradurga and its administrative district.[2][3][4]
The fort was built in stages between the 11th and 13th centuries by the dynastic rulers of the region, including the Chalukyas and Hoysalas, later the Nayakas of Chitradurga of the Vijayanagar Empire.[5] The Nayakas of Chitradurga, or Palegar Nayakas, were most responsible for the expansion of the fort between the 15th and 18th centuries. The fort was taken over for a short while by Hyder Ali at Chitradurga in 1779. The fort was captured by the British forces twenty years later, when they defeated his son Tipu Sultan.[5] The fort is built in a series of seven concentric fortification walls with various passages, a citadel, masjid, warehouses for grains and oil, water reservoirs and ancient temples. There are 18 temples in the upper fort and one huge temple in the lower fort. Among these temples, the oldest and most interesting is the Hidimbeshwara temple. The masjid was an addition during Hyder Ali's rule.[2][3][4] The fort's many interconnecting tanks were used to harvest rainwater, and the fort was said to never suffer from a water shortage.[citation needed]
- ^ "Chitradurga Fort". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- ^ a b "Chitradurga". Archived from the original on 18 February 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ^ a b "Chitraudurg city". Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
- ^ a b Barry Lewis. "An Informal History of the Chitradurga Nayakas". Urbana, IL 61801: UIUC Department of Anthropology. Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ a b George Michell (2013). Southern India: A Guide to Monuments Sites & Museums. Roli Books. p. 237. ISBN 978-81-7436-903-1.