Chandragiri fort

Nestled amidst the verdant greenery of the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Chandragiri, with its magnificent fort and palaces, namely Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal, is one of the best sights to behold. Known for the spectacular Chandragiri Fort which was constructed in the 11th century and is a brilliant specimen of the Indo-Saracenic architecture. The architecture of the fort is unique in the sense, it is made of brick, lime mortar, and stone, and bereft of any timber in the entire structure.

The fort was the fourth and the last capital of the Vijayanagar empire under the reign of Yadava Naidus and attained a milestone in the Indian history. Although the fort is in ruins now, one can still glimpse the heritage and grandeur of the historic fort along with the Raja Rani Mahal in its premises and over 800 Hindu temples, that were once its glory. Presently, the Raja Rani Mahal is used as an archaeological museum and attracts tourists from all over the place.

Chandragiri Fort was built in the 11th century by the Yadava rulers in the region. It later came under the control of the flourishing Vijayanagara empire in the region, with the popular future Vijayanagara King Sri Krishna Devaraya being raised here. When he became the king, Chandragiri fort was made his kingdom’s capital and remained so for some years.

Years later, in 1460. A.D., the fort was captured (by Odra Gajapati Kapilendra Dev). In the mid-17th century, the fort was annexed to the popular Golkonda territory and subsequently came under the rule of the Kingdom of Mysore. In the 17th century, the fort had a huge significance. It was the place where the pact of granting lands for Fort St. George (a monument built by the British who came to India for trading) to the British was first signed.

Presently the fort is under the control of the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The Chandragiri fort was constructed using stone, brick, and lime mortar. 

There are a total of eight temples inside the fort complex, and other structures like Raja Mahal (King’s palace), Rani Mahal (Queen’s palace) and some structures which are now ruined. 

Raja Mahal is now converted into an Archaeological Museum by the Archaeological Survey of India and it houses models and relics related to the fort, its temples, and other structures of surrounding area.   

• By Air:Chandragiri Fort is around 30 kms away from Tirupati airport. Visitors can reach the city from any part of India or the world, and can hire a cab, bus or autorickshaw from here to reach the fort.
• By Train:The nearest railway station to Chandragiri Fort is the Tirupati Central railway station which is about 17 kms away. This can be reached from any city in India easily, and visitors can hire cab, bus or autorickshaw from here to reach the fort.
• By Road:People can also travel to Tirupati by road on bus, auto-rickshaw, or cabs from nearby cities from neighboring regions.

Some of the best places to visit nearby Chandragiri Fort are: 

• Srinivasa Mangapuram
• Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple
• Tirumala Deer Park Reserve
• Sri Venkateswara Swamy Vaari Temple