Bangalore or Bengaluru as it is officially called is the capital city of Karnataka. Bangalore is one of the most beautiful cities in India. Bestowed with spacious parks, beautiful gardens, tree-lined avenues and lakes this city is rightly called the garden city.
The city was ruled by many dynasties in the past and has many historical monuments which stand testimony to the bygone era. Today Bangalore is the IT hub of India and is home to several multinational companies. This city is also called the silicon valley of India. Though Bangalore is a progressive modern and busy city it has retained its rich cultural heritage. Bangalore is also extremely popular for its historical edifices, beautiful gardens, serene lake and magnificent palaces. Tourists come to Bangalore which is filled with appealing attractions and sightseeing opportunities from different corners of the world. This city enjoys a salubrious weather all year round.
Attractions & Tourist Places to visit in Bangalore(Bengaluru)
Lal Bagh
Lal Bagh is one of India’s most beautiful botanical gardens. This garden boasts of a rich collection of almost 1000 different species of flora. Spread over an area of 2400-acres the foundation of the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens was laid down by Hyder Ali in the 18th century. This was later completed by his son Tipu Sultan. The Glass House depicting London’s Crystal Palace is the centre of attraction here. The park is also well-known for the flower show that is held annually.
Cubbon Park
The Cubborn Park covering an area of about 300 acres is located in the heart of the city. It was laid out by Lord Cubbon who was the viceroy of India in the year 1864. A number of neo-classical styled government buildings are situated inside the park. The park is also popular among the kids for the toy train and Bal Bhavan. The park which consists of many ornamental and flowering trees is a popular place for joggers and nature lovers.
Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace was set up in 1791 by Tipu Sultan. This palace was the summer residence of Tipu Sultan. This magnificent palace is a famous historical monument in the city.
Bangalore Palace
Bangalore Palace is a popular tourist attraction in Bangalore. The place was built way back in 1887 and covers around 45,000 square feet of area. This palace built by Wodeyar dynasty is inspired by the Windsor Castle. Adorned with magnificent woodcarvings, fortified towers and gothic windows this beautiful palace attracts many tourists.
Vidhan Soudha
This imposing building built in 1956 is the famous landmark of Bangalore. Shri Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Chief Minister of then Mysore from 1951 to 1956 built this magnificent building. This architectural marvel is a perfect blend of traditional neo-Dravidian and modern styles. It houses the Legislative Chambers of the state government.
Attara Kacheri (High Court)
Located at the entrance to Cubbon Park , Attara Kacheri houses the High Court and many lower courts. This building famous for its bright red facade is one of the famous landmarks in the city. This two-storied building built in 1867 is in Gothic style architecture.
Government Museum
Situated within Bangalore's Cubbon Park it is one of the oldest museums in the whole of India. The museum has exhibits of sculptures, inscriptions, antiquities from Mohenjadaro, coins, local artefacts, relics, terracotta from Mathura and some paintings. Venkatappa Art Gallery which stands alongside the Government Museum has a great collection of paintings.
Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum
The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum has seven exhibition halls : Children’s' Science Gallery, Electronic Technology Gallery, BEL Hall of Electronics, Engine hall, Bio technology hall, Space gallery, and Popular Science Gallery. In this museum exhibits are placed behind glass panels and on pressing the button you can watch them function. The ground floor of the building houses the Dinosaur Alive which has a moving replica of a Spinosaurus.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium
The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium was established in the year 1989. The sky theatre with a dome of fifteen meters in diameter is a major attraction here. This planetarium was set up with an aim of spreading awareness among students and the public about astronomy.
Bull Temple
This temple was built by Kempe Gowda. The temple is dedicated to Nandi, the bull, which is the mount of Lord Shiva. The temple is famous for a huge monolithic bull that stands 4.5m tall and 6.5 m long. This idol is said to have been carved out of a single rock. The temple is built in the Dravidian style of architecture. The groundnut fair which is held near the temple annually is very famous.
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple is an ancient temple located in South Bangalore. The cave temple is carved out of a monolith rock formation. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and houses a unique image of Agni, the God of Fire. This temple is known for its perfect architectural planning. On Makar Sankranti day in January the sunrays fall on the Siva Linga for about an hour passing through the two horns of the image of Nandi Bull. Thousands of devotees visit the temple on this day to watch this spectacular event.
Banashankari Temple
Banashankari Temple built in 1915. The deity of Amma worshipped here was brought from Badami, in Bijapur district and installed it inside the temple. This is a popular temple in the city and is thronged by devotees especially on Tuesdays and Fridays .
ISKCON Temple
ISKCON Temple Complex is one of the popular tourist attractions of Bangalore. Magnificent ISKCON Temple is built in both modern and traditional Indian architecture. The temple is built in a seven acre hillock. There are four gopurams inside the temple and a spacious hall adorned with magnificent ceiling-paintings. The temple has a unique open-air amphitheatre.
Ulsoor Lake
Earlier called 'Alasur Lake' or 'Halsur Lake', Ulsoor Lake is the largest lake in Bangalore. This lake is a major draw for tourists. The lake was built by Kempe Gowda II. There is a boat club at the lake which is one of the major attractions at the lake.
Bannerghatta National Park
Bannerghatta National Park is situated 22 km away from the Bangalore city. The park is home to a to several species of birds and animals like royal Bengal tiger, Leopards, Lions, Zebras, Panthers, Porcupines, Rhinoceroses, hyenas, bisons, black bucks, elephants, wild boar and bears. The main attraction here is the tiger and lion safari. The other attractions in the park include the butterfly park and the crocodile and snake farm.
Tourist Places near Bangalore
Devarayandurga
Devarayandurga is a rocky hill station which is 65 km from Bangalore. This is a hill station located at an altitude of 3940 feet. Three elevations and seven gates lead to the top of the hill. Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple is situated at the lowest elevation. The hill top has temples like Yoganarasimha and the Bhoganarasimha temple.
Nandi Hills
Nandi hills are situated at a distance of approximately 65 km from the Bangalore city. The place gets its name from a thousand year old Dravidian Nandi temple. It is among the most popular picnic spot blessed with a salubrious climate throughout the year. This hill station was the erstwhile summer retreat of Tipu Sultan. Nandi hills lies at an average elevation of about 1,478 meters. This place blessed with scenic beauty is haven for nature lovers. Amrit Sarovar Lake, Yoga Nandeeswara, Tipu Drop are the main attraction here. Nandi Hills is the source of the Penner,Ponnaiyar and Palar rivers. The state horticulture department maintains a garden here. It is also a famous spot for trekking
Savandurga Hills
Savandurga is located about 69 kms from Bangalore. At an altitude of 1226 m above the sea level, Savanadurga is also believed to be among the largest monolith hills in India. Savandurga is formed by two hills known locally as Karigudda (black hill) and Biligudda (white hill). Savandurga serves as the base for devotees who come to visit the Savandi Veerabhadreshwara Swamy temple and Narasimha Swamy temple that are located at the foothills. This place attracts many rock climbing and trekking enthusiasts.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is located about 125 km away from Bangalore. The sanctuary is spread across a series of small islands in the river Cauvery. Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary is the important nesting and breeding ground site for several bird species. Birds from far off places like Siberia, Australia and even North America can be spotted here. The Marsh Crocodile also called the Mugger Crocodile is a common inhabitant of the river. The Department of Forests offers boat tours of the islands.
Shivanasamudra Falls
Shivanasamudra Falls is located at a distance of 120 km from Bangalore. Here The river Cauvery branches into two streams and gushed down in the form a mesmerising waterfall. On the one side, it forms the Gaganachukki falls and on the other side are the Bharachukki Falls. The sight of these falls is captivating. Another attraction of this place is the hydel power generation station
Srirangapatna
Srirangapatna is located about 125 km from Bangalore on Bangalore-Mysore highway. Srirangpatna is a town with great historical and religious significance. The entire town is enclosed by the river Kaveri to form an island. The town derives its name from the presiding deity of Ranganatha Swamy temple. Srirangapatna was the capital of the Mysore state, while Tipu Sultan was ruling Mysore. Tipu’s palace known as Lal Mahal, Dariya Daulat Baugh-the summer residence of Tippu Sultan, Gumbaz, Ranganatha swamy temple, Nimishamba temple, Water Gate, two Dungeons etc. are some of the main attractions here.
Mysore
Mysore is 140 kms from Bangalore. This is the second largest city in Karnataka and an important tourist centre of the state. Mysore which was the capital of Wodeyars is known for its magnificent palaces, sprawling gardens, impressive buildings and sacred temples. Mysore is famous for the Dasara celebrations held during Navaratri festival that attracts thousands of tourists. Also called as cultural capital of Karnataka this city is also famous for Mysore silk sarees sandalwood oil, Mysore style of painting and a sweet dish called Mysore Pak. Mysore Palace, Chamundeeshwari Temple, Brindavan Garden, St. Philomena’s Church, Mysore Zoo etc. are some of the attractions in Mysore.
Bheemeshwari
Bheemeshwari is a small town located between Mekedatu Falls and Shivanasamudra Falls on banks of River Cauvery. This place is great spot for eco-tourism. Many fishing camps are developed here and large number of enthusiastic anglers throng here to try their luck in fishing. Trekking, boating, river rafting, coracle ride and jungle walk are other major attractions here.
Talakad
Talakad is 132 kms from Bangalore. This place was once the capital city of Ganga Dynasty. Talakad is a town known for its sand dunes and is located on the banks of the river Cauvery. Talakadu has a number of temples that are buried under the sand dunes. Viadyeshvara, Pataleshvara, Maruleshvara, Kritinarayana, Gourishankara and the Anandeshvara are the important temples here
Shivaganga
Shivaganga is located 56 kilometres from Bangalore. The hill has two famous shrines, dedicated to Lord Gangadeshwara and Goddess Honnadevi. This peak attracts thousands of devotees every year. The Patala Ganga temple here has an underground spring seeping at entrance of the temple. The water level here keeps changing almost constantly.
The Big Banyan tree
Known as Dodda Aalada Mara in Kannada, the big banyan tree is located at Ramohalli about 25 kms from Bangalore. This place is famous for a Banyan tree that is 400 years old in age which is spread across 3 acres.
Ramanagaram
Ramanagaram is 49 Kms south-west from Bangalore. Ramanagaram with its landscaped rock faces is a haven for rock climbers. Sholay one of the most famous Hindi movies was shot in Ramanagaram about 30 years ago. Silk cocoon marketing centre is another attraction in Ramanagaram.
How to reach Bangalore
Bangalore International Airport is 40 km away from the heart of the city. The city is connected to all the major cities in India by rail. Bangalore Majestic, Bangalore Cantonment and Yeshwanthpur are the three main railway stations in Bangalore. Bangalore is well connected to other cities and towns of the state and neighbouring states by a good network of roads. KSRTC buses connect all cities in the state to Bangalore.
Accommodation
Bangalore offers plenty of accommodation options to the tourists. Most of the top-end luxury chain hotels are present in the city. Ranging from star hotels to budget hotels tourists have several options to choose from.