Chandragiri Fort

The hilltop fort that served as the last capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, 15 km west of Tirupati. Two palaces survive within the fort walls: the Raja Mahal (King's Palace), now an archaeological museum, and the Rani Mahal (Queen's Palace), partly ruined but with intact stucco work on the upper storeys.

The Raja Mahal Museum has a small but interesting collection — Vijayanagar coins, weapons, sculptures, and an evening sound-and-light show that retells the story of the fort. The walk up to the fort takes about 30 minutes from the parking area; the views over the surrounding hills are excellent. Combine with a Tirupati or Tirumala visit on a day with time to spare. Closed Fridays.

things to do sight history
A story
After the great battle of Talikota in 1565, in which the Deccan Sultanates broke the Vijayanagar Empire and destroyed its capital Hampi, the remnant Vijayanagar court relocated to Chandragiri. The fort here was the last capital of the empire for roughly half a century, until the kingdom finally collapsed in the 17th century. It was at Chandragiri, in 1639, that the local ruler Sri Ranga Raya leased the village of Madraspatnam to the British East India Company — the founding lease of the city that became Madras and is now Chennai.

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