Bangalore Travel Guide >> Local Sight Seeing


The Bangalore Palace & Fort
The Bangalore Fort was built by Kempe Gowda and expanded by Tippu Sultan. Within its walls is the well preserved 16th century Ganapathi Temple. The Bangalore Palace was built by a Wodeyar king in 1887 on the 400 acre space. Inspired by the Windsor castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style, complete with Gothic windows, foiled windows, battlements and turrets resembling the Daria Daulat Palace in Srirangapatanam, this summer palace has been constructed largely of wood and is famous for its carving and paintings.

In June 2005 Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar decided to open the palace to the public to meet its Rs 20 lakh annual upkeep costs. The special attraction is a gallery of nearly a thousand historical photos, including those of viceroys, maharajas and other famous personalities inside and exquisite carvings and paintings.

Entry Fee Structure: Indian Citizens (Adult: Rs 100, Children: Rs 50), Foreign Tourists: (Adult: Rs 200, Children: Rs 100), Video Recording: Rs 1,000, Photography: Rs 500. Visiting Hours: 10 AM to 6 PM (Sunday Holiday). Phone: +91-80-2336 0818, 2331 5789

Lal Bagh
Hyder Ali laid out this famous botanical garden and his son added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. The garden today houses over 1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs. The Glass House, modelled along London's Crystal Palace, is the center of attraction in this 2400 acre park. Bi-annual flower shows attracting participants from all over India is held in the Glass House. In July, 2003 it was decided that the Department of Horticulture and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) would jointly take up the development of Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens.

Cubbon Park
This wooded and beflowered park was laid out in the heart of the cantonment in 1864. Since then, fairy fountains, an august bandstand and a wealth of atatury have been added. But the most important aspect of Cubbon Park is its newer buildings that have added beauty and cultural wealth. Lush green lawns, shady flowering trees, vibrant flower beds, make Cubbon Park an ideal place for morning joggers and alike.

Government Museum
One of the important buildings, the Government Museum is one of the oldest in India(1886). A special attraction here is the antiquities from Mohenjodaro period. Situated nearby the museum is Visveswaraya Industrial and Technological Museum named after the great engineer-statesman.

Next to the VITM is the Visveswaraya Industrial Trade Center, the first of its kind in India. In addition to its trade promotional activities, the Center has two exhibition floors housing a permanent display of all that is manufactured in Karnataka.

Near the Museum is the K.Venkatappa Art Gallery which has a permanent exhibition of the works of the great artist, K. Venkatappa. The Gallery does much to encourage art in the state.

Also in the Cubbon Park are the Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the public library, the High Court and the Jawahar Bal Bhavan. The Bhavan, with its toy train, fairgrounds and theatre, is a recreational, hobby and educational centre for children.

ISKCON
Situated on Chord Road, it is a must visit temple in Bangalore. It stands over a small hill and is a very clean and well maintained temple. Akshaya Patra program sponsored by the temple is very popular.

The Bull Temple
This temple, built by Kempe Gowda, houses the magnificent stone statue of the sacred bull, Nandi. It stands over 15 feet tall and is over 20 feet long. In Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. The first groundnuts are offered by the farmers to the sacred bull.

The Gangadhareshware Temple
Known for its four monolithic pillars and rare idol of Agni, the God of fire, this temple was built by Kempe Gowda. A unique phenomena is witnessed here on Jan 13/14th every year when the rays of the setting sun enter through the window, pass between the horns of the Nandi and shine on the Shivalingam.

The Dharmaraja Temple
Located at Nazarethpet in the suburbs of Bangalore, this temple is the starting point of the annual Karaga procession. The revered idols of this temple are the Shri Dharmaraja Swamy, hero of the Mahabharata and Lord Krishna.

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