29 Best Historical Places & Heritage Sites near Mysore

At a distance of 12 km from Halebidu, 27 km from Belur, 64 km from Chikmagalur, and 82 km from Kemmangundi, Belavadi is a village situated in the Chikmagalur district. It is one of the popular places to visit in Halebidu.

Belavadi is famous for Sri Veera Narayana Temple built in Hoysala architectural style. The place is described as Ekachakranagara of Mahabharata and is said to be the place where Pandava prince Bheema killed the demon Bakasura and protected the village and its people. Belavadi Temple can be visited along with Chikmagalur Tour Packages.

The Veera Narayana temple was built in the 13th century by the Hoysala King Veera Bhallala II. This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in three different forms. While Belur and Halebid are famous for their intricate sculpture, this temple is one of the best examples of Hoysala architecture. The west side of the temple consists of a square garbhagriha, a sukanasi, Ranga mandapa and square maha mantapa. The whole structure has been constructed on a raised platform. The entire temple is built out of soapstone and is believed that this temple was constructed in two phases. The temple is in trikuta style (three vimanas) with Sri Veera Narayana in the center facing east, Sri Venugopala facing north and Sri Yoganarasimha facing south. The shrines ...

Distance from Mysore: 160 Kms

About Bylakuppe Golden Temple

At a distance of 5 km from Kushalnagar, 7 km from Cauvery Nisargadhama, 34 km from Madikeri, and 87 km from Mysore, the Golden Temple or Namdroling Monastery is a beautiful Buddhist Monastery situated in Bylakuppe, Karnataka. Bylakuppe is the second-largest Tibetan settlement in India after Dharamshala and is among the most popular places to visit in Coorg.

History of Golden Temple

Bylakuppe is a Tibetan refugee settlement area established by Lugsum Samdupling in 1961 and Dickyi Larson in 1969. It was an amalgamation of about twenty villages that came together to be called the town of Bylakuppe. The main tourist attraction here is the magnificent Namdroling Monastery. Popularly called as Golden Temple, the Namdroling Monastery was established by Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche in 1963. This is the largest teaching center of Nyingmapa, a lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, in the world and is home to a sangha community of over 5000 monks and nuns.

The architecture of the Golden Temple

The Golden Temple complex is huge and it houses 40 feet high-gilded images of Guru Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), Buddha Sakyamuni, and Amitayus. The temple tower is highly ornate. The outer walls flanking the doorway are decorated with huge colorful murals. The doors, red in color, have huge gold knockers and a thick plaited ...

Distance from Mysore: 88 Kms

At a distance of 39 km from Kemmangundi, 47 km from Shimoga, and 79 km from Chikmagalur, Amruthapura is a village located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka which is well known for the famous Amruteshwara Temple. It is one of the historical places to visit as part of Kemmanagundi Packages.

The Amruteshwara Temple is an ancient temple built in 1196 AD by Amruteshwara Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala ruler Veera Ballala II. Ruvari Mallitamma, the well-known Hoysala sculptor and architect is known to have started his career here working on the domed ceilings in the main mantapa. On the porch of the temple is a large stone inscription, a fine example of medieval Kannada poetry. This temple is situated near the Bhadra Reservoir in the Malnad region surrounded by coconut and palm plantations. It is one of the best places to visit in Kemmanagundi.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built using soft claystone. This medium-sized temple showcases excellent craftsmanship of Hoysala architecture. This temple is in the ekakuta style, it has just one vimana, unlike other trikuta temples built by Hoysalas at Somnathpur and Belur. The temple has a large maha mantapa and a ranga mandapa connecting it to the beautifully carved main sanctum. The inner shrine is square-shaped with ...

Distance from Mysore: 207 Kms

At a distance of 30 km from Kolar and 98.5 km from Bangalore City Junction, Avani is a small village in Kolar district of Karnataka. Avani is renowned for housing varied ancient temples. It is one of top historical places to visit as part of your Bangalore tour and among the popular sightseeing spots around Bangalore. It is also a popular location for rock climbing.

The village of Avani received a prominent place mainly due to the legends associated with it. According to mythology, goddess Sita gave birth to her twin children Lava-Kusha at Avani. It is also said that the war between Lord Rama and his sons Lava and Kusha took place in this village. As per the local belief, sage Valmiki, the author of the epic Ramayana was residing here during the period of Ramayana.

Another legend has it that when Sri Narasimha Bharati IV of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham was on his sancharas', he camped here for a few days. During his stay in Avani, he discovered an idol of Goddess Sharada. The idol was in standing posture flanked by Adi Shankaracharya with Sri Chakra. He established a new Mutt, which is presently known as Avani Sringeri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sharada Peetham.

Avani also houses a Sita temple situated on a hill. This temple is one of the few temples dedicated to Sita Devi in India. This temple has the idols ...

Distance from Mysore: 256 Kms

At a distance of 42 km from Hassan, 44 km from Halebidu, 71 km from Chikmagalur, the Ishvara Temple, also known as Chandramouleshwara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Arasikere town of the Hassan district in Karnataka state, India. It is one of the stunning Hoysala temples in Karnataka, and among the top places to visit near Hassan.

Dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, the Chandramouleshwara Temple at Arasikere was built in the 12th century by the Hoysalas. Though modest in size and figure sculpture, the temple is considered the most complex one in architecture among surviving Hoysala monuments because of its ground plan - a 16-pointed star-shaped mantapa (hall), along with an asymmetrical star-shaped shrine, whose star points are of three different types.

Like all Hoysala constructions, this east-facing temple was built with soapstone and is an ekakuta shrine (single shrine or cella) with two mandapas, one open and one closed. The sanctum (garbhagriha) enshrines a Shivalinga. The ceiling in the closed mantapa is divided into nine compartments or 'bays' by the four lathe-turned pillars. Unlike other temples, to have a darshan of Lord Shiva inside the garbhagriha, there is no direct straight access, since this particular mantapa is star-shaped. Instead, there are two lateral entrances at north and south of the mantapa.

The temple has a shikhara or tower with a decorated water pot like sculpture called kalasha on the top. The vestibule, which connects ...

Distance from Mysore: 135 Kms

At a distance of 29 km from Shravanbelagola, and 52 km from Hassan, Lakshmi Narasimha Temple is an ancient temple located at Nuggehalli in the Hassan district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Karnataka, and among the must include places in Shravanabelagola Packages.

The Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Nuggehalli was built in 1246 CE by Bommanna Dandanayaka, a commander in the Hoysala Empire during the rule of King Vira Someshwara. The town of Nuggehalli was called Vijaya Somanathapura in ancient times and gained importance as an agrahara (place of learning) during the time of Bommanna Dandanayaka. The temple is maintained by the people who reside around the temple area called Agrahara, an area donated to Brahmins by the ruling people in view of maintaining and performing poojas in the temples that they built.

Built with soapstone, the temple is a good example of 13th-century Hoysala architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Like other Hoysala temples, the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple at Nuggehalli is also built on an elevated platform called the jagati. The temple is constructed as a trikutachala i.e. it has three sanctums. The three shrines are located around a central closed mantapa with 9 bays. The ceiling of the closed mantapa is supported by four lathe-turned pillars which are deeply domed in the center.

The main temple is raised with a statue of Lord Narasimha in ...

Distance from Mysore: 100 Kms

At a distance of 5 km from Kikkeri, 19 km from Shravanabelagola, and 56 km from Hassan, the Panchlingeshwara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Govindanahalli village in the Mandya district of Karnataka. It is one lesser-known Hoysala temples in Karnataka and among the top Hassan tourist places.

Panchalingeshwara Temple was constructed around 1238 AD during the reign of the Hoysala King Vira Someshwara. This temple is constructed in Pancha-kuta style and is probably the only surviving example of its kind built during the Hoysala period. The temple is protected as a monument of national importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. The famous sculptor of Hoysala times, Ruvari Mallitamma, is known to have made contributions to the temple.

The whole structure faces east and the entrance is provided via two porches facing each other. Each entrance is guarded by its own set of dwarpalas (guardians). The temple consists of five sanctums connected with a common navaranga (hall). All the garbhagrihas are provided with their own shikhara and are connected with the navaranga via suknasi. These five garbhagrihas houses five different manifestations of Shiva which are Sadyojata, Tatpurusha, Vamadeva, Aghora, and Ishana. The shikhara of all the five shrines are richly decorated in Dravidian style.

An intriguing feature of this temple is that though the temple is dedicated mainly to Lord Shiva, the outer walls of the temple carry images of various forms of ...

Distance from Mysore: 71 Kms

At a distance of 16 km from Kikkeri, 25 km from Melukote, 26 km from Shravanabelagola, 55 km from Mysore, and 69 km from Hassan, the Lakshminarayana Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Hosaholalu in the Mandya district of Karnataka. It is one lesser-known Hoysala temples in Karnataka and among the top places to visit in Hassan.

Lakshminarayana Temple in Hosaholalu was built by King Vira Someshwara of the Hoysala Empire in 1250 CE. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple may not be as famous as the other temples of Karnataka but it is a mystifying place. The beautifully carved sculptures, grand temple interiors, and the overall design of this shrine are the most attractive features.

Built out of Soapstone, Sri Lakshminaryana Temple at Hosaholalu is a splendid example of a trikuta vimana (three shrines) temple though only the central shrine exhibits a tower on top. The lateral shrines are square in construction with five projections and no special features. The temple is built on a jagati (platform) that resembles a star. This platform is raised and has a pillared hall or navaranga in the center and the three shrines around it.

The interior of the temple consists of a closed hall (navaranga) of modest size with four polished lathe-turned pillars supporting the roof. The four central pillars divide the hall into nine equal 'bays' (compartments) and nine decorated ceilings. Each pillar is beautifully carved with sculptures of young dancing girls in various ...

Distance from Mysore: 55 Kms

At a distance of 32 km from Melukote, 53 km from Shravanabelagola, 65 km from Mysore, and 108 km from Hassan, the Mallikarjuna Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Basaralu in the Mandya district of Karnataka. It is one of the Hoysala temples in Karnataka and among the top places to visit in Hassan.

The Mallikarjuna Temple in Basaralu is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and was built by Harihara-dandanayaka in 1234 CE during the rule of the Hoysala Empire King Vira Narasimha II. Harihara and his two brothers consecrated god Mallikarjuna in the name of their father. They also constructed a tank nearby, in the name of their mother. This temple is protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Stands on a jagati or the raised platform, the Mallikarjuna temple is a highly ornate example of Hoysala architecture. Built-in the trikuta style (3 shrines), the temple faces east and consists of a Nandi-mandapa, navaranga, and antarala or sukanasi. The entry to the 3 shrines is through a common mandapa (hall). The sanctum sanctorum houses the Shivlinga representing god Mallikarjuna and the other two shrines have Surya and Nagas. The temple has only one shikhara built upon the sanctum sanctorum and is elaborately embellished with sculptures.

This temple has various distinctive features of the mature Hoysala period architecture. The base, like all Hoysala temples, has six layers of decorative moldings that comprise elephants, horse riders, lions, ...

Distance from Mysore: 67 Kms

At a distance of 24 km from Gadag, 44 km from Hubli, Amruteshwara Temple is an ancient temple situated at Annigeri in Karnataka. It is one of the popular heritage temples in Karnataka, and among the popular places to visit near Hubli.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Amruteshwara Temple in Annigeri was built in the year 1050 CE by the Kalyani Chalukyas, and was the first temple made of soapstone. The temple is a fine example of Kalyani Chalukyan Architecture. Built-in the Dravidian style, the temple has a roof that is supported by 76 pillars. The walls of the temple are covered with carvings of mythological figures. The Amruteshwara Temple was to be the prototype for later, more articulated structures such as the Mahadeva Temple at Itagi.

Annigeri is the birthplace of the famous Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa. It served as the last capital of Kalyani Chalukyas for a short period as their main capital 'Kalyani' was seized by Kalachuri rulers. It was also part of the Hoysalas, and Yadavas, and Kalachuri domain. The historic town came into the limelight post finding mysterious 600+ skulls. Besides, Annigeri is also home to temples dedicated to Banashankari, Basappa, Gajina Basappa, and Hanuman. Annigeri has seven mosques and two Lingayati Mathas.

The best time to visit this temple is between December and January. This is the time of the temple car festival, the Rathotsava when an idol of Lord Amruteshwara is taken out in procession in a Ratha.

Timings: 8 AM - ...

At a distance of 50 km from Mysore and 133 km from Bangalore, Melkote / Melukote is a historical town located in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya district, Karnataka. Also known as Thirunarayanapuram, it is one of the popular pilgrimage places in Karnataka and also one of the best places to visit as part of Mysore Tour.

Melkote can also be included in your Mysore holiday packages. The town is built on rocky hills known as Yadavagiri or Yadugiri overlooking the Cauvery valley. The town derives its name from two words, Melu means top and Kote means fort. According to the history, the great Vaishnava saint Sri Ramanujacharya lived here for about 14 years in 12th century AD and thus it became a prominent center of the Srivaishnava sect of Brahmins.

There are two popular temples reside in this town, one is Cheluvanarayana Swamy Temple and the other one is Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple. These temples existed even before Sri Ramanujacharya came to this place. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Thirunarayana or Cheluvaraya installed by Lord Krishna. The utsavamurthy or procession idol of the deity is referred as Cheluvapille Raya whose original name appears to have been Ramapriya. This utsavamurthy was lost when the Moghuls invaded the place and it was recovered by Ramanujacharya from Bibi Nachiyaar the daughter of Mohammed Shah.

The temple has been under the patronage of the Mysore royal family and is ...

Distance from Mysore: 55 Kms

At a distance of 54 km from Bangalore City Railway Station, 6.5 km from Chikkaballapur, 9.5 km from Nandi Hills, Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple situated in Nandi village is a grand temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is a great specimen of South Indian temple architecture. It is one of the best temples near Bangalore and also one of the best one day trip near Bangalore.

Originally built in 9th century by Nolamba dynasty, the temple received great contributions from the rulers of Ganga, Chola, Rashtrakuta, Hoysala & Vijayanagara dynasties. The temple boasts wonderful architecture and great sculptures. The large temple complex has a vast open area in front of the wonderful gateway. The main enclosure has three shrines dedicate to Lord Shiva known as Bhoga Nandeeshwara, Arunachaleswara and Ardhanareewara (also known as Uma Maheshwara) along with several other shrines on the rear side of the temple. The large mandapa in front of the main shrines has great art work with each pillar possessing beautifully carved images of gods, animals, puranic characters, sages and scenes depicted from Hindu mythology.

The highlight of the temple is the vasantha mandapa built in front of Ardhanareeswraa shrine. Constructed during Hoysala period, the kalyana mandapa is breathtakingly beautiful with passionately carved pillars, artistic roof and intricately carved images of Shiva, Parvathi, Vishnu, Mahalakshmi, Brahma, ...

Distance from Mysore: 204 Kms

At a distance of 45 km from Sirsi, the Tarakeshwara or Tarakeshvara Temple is a Hindu temple complex located in Hangal, Karnataka. It is one of the ancient temples in the Malnad region of Karnataka, and among the top places to visit near Sirsi.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Tarakeshwara Temple dates back to the 12th century AD and is considered to be an architectural marvel. The temple was the most significant contribution of the Kadambas to the history of the town. However, the town and the temple came into prominence during the rule of Kalyani Chalukyas who were the most powerful in the Deccan region during their period. They made massive architectural innovations and additions to make it into the present form. It is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Built with grey-green chloritic schist, the temple is a fine example of the typical Chalukyan style of architecture with influences of Dravidian and Nagara styles. The main temple consists of a Garbhgriha or sanctum with adjoining enclosures like the Antarala, Navaranga, Sabhamandapa, and Mukhamandapa. The sanctum sanctorum houses Lord Tarakeshwar is in the form of a linga along with sculptures of Vishnu, Brahma, Karthikeya, and Nandi.

The major attraction of the temple is the main hall which has a large domical ceiling in the form of a lotus. The elaborately-carved structure is 9 m in diameter, and a huge stone, 6 m in diameter, forms the ceiling of this structure. The stone, cut ...

At a distance of 27 km from Hangal, and 68 km from Sirsi, the Nagareshvara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated at Bankapura in the Haveri district of Karnataka. Located inside the ruined Bankapura Fort, it is one of the historical temples in Karnataka built by Western Chalukyas, and among the must-visit places near Sirsi.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Nagareshwara Temple was built in the 11th century in the Western Chalukya style. This eye-catching temple is also called Aravattu Kambada Gudi which means 60 pillars temple in Kannada. According to archaeologists, the temple suffered much damage when Bankapura fell to the armies of Firoz Shah Bahamani in 1406 CE and later again when it was occupied by the Bijapur Sultan Adil Shah. However, despite much plunder, the large temple with its majestic mandapa still retains some of its original beauty. The temple is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

The temple is constructed with soapstone and comprises a small shrine and a closed hall (mandapa) that connects to a large open hall (Navaranga). Like all Western Chalukyan temples, the sanctum is connected to the large hall via a vestibule (antechamber). At the end of the large hall, facing the sanctum is an open Nandimantapa. The highlight of the large hall is the bell-shaped lathe-turned pillars. The main decoration on these pillars is the horizontal rings of moldings. The ceiling in the large hall is highly decorative with designs such as rosettes ...

At a distance of 26 km from Bankapura, 34 km from Hangal, 72 km from Sirsi, and 78 km from Hubli, the Siddheswara Temple, locally called Purada Siddeshwara, is an ancient Hindu temple located in the town of Haveri in Haveri district of Karnataka. It is one of the popular temples in Karnataka built by the Western Chalukyas, and among the top places to visit near Sirsi.

The SiddheshwarIt is considered an ornate example of 12th century Western Chalukyan architecture and is well known for the many loose sculptures of Hindu deities that exist in it. However, the inscriptional evidence within the temple suggests that the temple was built in the late 11th century. Initially, the temple was constructed as a Vaishnava temple, but later in the years, the Jains removed the images, and thus the Shiva temple was created since it came under the possession of Shiva devotees.

The Siddheshvara temple is built of soapstone and faces west, instead of facing the rising sun in the east like all Chaluyan temples. The temple bears a close resemblance to a few other Chalukyan temples in the vicinity of Haveri- the Mukteshvara temple at Chavudayyadanapura, the Someshvara temple at Haralahalli, and the Siddharameshvara temple at Niralgi. The entire basement of this temple has sunk by a few feet, making it necessary to descend into the open mandapa (hall). The Siddhesvara temple boasts of 1300 stone carvings.

The mantapa (hall) in the temple contains sculptures of Uma Maheshwara, Vishnu ...

At a distance of 80 kms from Bangalore, Kolar is a small town which was once famous for gold mines. Kolar has several tourist attractions like Someshwara Temple & Kolaramma Temple. Anthargange is about 4 kms from Kolar. Kolar is one of the popular tourist places to visit around Bangalore.

Someshwara Temple is a beautiful temple built in 14th century during Vijayanagara rule. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Someshwara Temple is famous for large temple tower built on a stone carved mahadwara. The temple has nice carvings on the pillars and large mahamandapa. There is also a stepped temple tank adjacent to the temple. The temple is located near Fort Area in Kolar.

Kolaramma Temple, situated at a distance of 100 meters from Someshwara Temple is another interesting place to visit in Kolar with lot of history. It is believed that the temple was constructed in 5th century during Ganga dynasty. The temple has several carvings from Chola rule (11th century). This is a protected monument and being maintained by ASI. Timings: 5.30 AM - 1.30 PM & 5 PM - 8 PM.

Distance from Mysore: 231 Kms

At a distance of 25 kms from Bangalore City Junction and 32.6 km from Ramanagara, The Dodda Alada Mara literally translated to Big Banyan Tree is a giant Banyan tree located in the village of Kethohalli in the Bangalore Urban district of Karnataka. This is one of the popular tourist places near Bangalore.

Dodda Alada Mara is a single Banyan tree that is 400 years old and has spread over 3 acres of land. This tree is said to be the largest tree in Karnataka and the second largest in India. It has a circumference of more than 250 m and has more than a thousand aerial roots. In last 10-15 years the main root of the tree succumbed to natural disease, and thus the tree now looks like many different trees. The area is fenced and well-maintained with pathways, bright cement seats and handy dustbins.

There is small temple dedicated to Lord Muneshwara (Lord Shiva). It is believed that the Big Banyan Tree symbolizes the holy trinity of Hindu Gods. The root, stem and branches represent Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva respectively. The big banyan tree is also a well-liked outing for quite some time as well as a preferred location for several film shootings.

Manchinabele dam which is 8 km and Mukti Naga Temple, which is 3 km from Dodda Alada Mara are the nearby attractions. Mukti Naga temple houses the world's largest monolithic statue of Lord Naaga about 16 feet ...

Distance from Mysore: 132 Kms

At a distance of 20 Kms from Kozhikode Railway Station, Kappad beach is one of the most charming Kerala beaches and also one of the best Kerala tourist places. Vasco da Gama landed on Indian soil on 27th May 1498 at Kappad beach along with 170 men.

There is a monument on the beach that commemorates the landmark event of Vasco da Gama's arrival. This marked the beginning of a new era in the relationship between the Indians and the Portuguese which lasted for 4 to 5 centuries.

The beach is ideal for relaxing and playing around with sand. Devi Temple, which is believed to be 800 years old, is situated on top of a rock near the beach. Karappula River at Elathur close to the beach is a good place for boating. Sunset is a great site to watch here, in the combination of Sea and River.

This place is very close to NH17 towards Mangalore. It is connected by frequent buses from Kozhikode.

Distance from Mysore: 197 Kms

At a distance of 38 km from Kochi & 36 Kms from Thrissur, Kodungallur, also known as Cranganore is a historical town located in Thrissur district on NH17 between Kochi and Kozhikode. This is one of the popular tourist places to visit near Kochi and also an ideal getaway from Kochi for a short trip.

Kodungallur was the capital of Cheraman Perumal, the last Chera Ruler in the 7th century AD. Kodungallur is home for several important historical monuments:

- Bhagawati Temple is one of the oldest temples in Kerala with history of above 2000 years and was mentioned in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha
- Thomas the Apostle of Jesus is believed to have landed in Kodungallur with his followers in the year 52 AD. This place has become the earliest Syrian Christian centre of Malabar. Monuments built in the memory of Thomas still exist here, including St. Thomas Church.
- Cheraman Juma Masjid is the first mosque built in India in mid 6th century AD, by Malik Ibn Dinar, the follower of Prophet Muhammad
- A fort built by the Portuguese in 1523, which was later captured by Tipu Sultan of Mysore

Distance from Mysore: 300 Kms