This is the gateway to the Bellary Fort in Karnataka. This portion of the fort is a photographer’s delight. In the first column you see a man standing atop a wall, in the second a huge rock structure and in the third a landscape view.
The historic Bellary Fort has been under the shadows of the most illustrious Karnataka monuments like Hampi and Mysore Palace, but it’s a scenic place nevertheless.
This fort has two parts to it – the Upper Fort built by the Vijayanagar Empire and the Lower Fort was built by the Haider Ali, father of Tipu Sultan.
Though conceptualized by Haider Ali, it was a French engineer who built the current structure. The French engineer was sent to the gallows later by Haider Ali as he wasn’t happy with fort.
The upper fort was to be used for ancient artillery, while the lower fort housed the entire arsenal.
This fort is located between two rocky granite hills – Ballari Gudda and Kumbara Gudda, and has the city as the backdrop.
Despite the many conflicts and the British takeover in 1800, the fort has withstood the rampage.
The fort has in-built resources, like many artificial water reservoirs strategically placed within the rocks for water storage.
During the British era buildings like the Commissariat stores, the Protestant church, orphanage, Masonic lodge, post-office, etc., were added to the Lower Fort.
The whole fort and its surroundings are illuminated during special days.
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