Group of Monuments at Hampi

Brief Description

The austere, grandiose site of Hampi was the last capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Its fabulously rich princes built Dravidian temples and palaces which won the admiration of travellers between the 14th and 16th centuries. Conquered by the Deccan Muslim confederacy in 1565, the city was pillaged over a period of six months before being abandoned.

Threats to the Site:

The inclusion of the Groups of Monuments at Hampi on the List of World Heritage in Danger was prompted by the construction of two suspension bridges which dominate the natural environment and threaten the World Heritage site's integrity. The construction of a road towards one of the bridges will result in a major increase in heavy goods traffic and has already resulted in the dismantling and reconstruction of an important historic monument - a mandapa (a pillared stone rest-house) within the borders of the site. This dislocation signifies serious problems in the implementation of cultural heritage policies and regulations.