Vijayapura Fort

Vijayapura Fort, known locally as Vijapura Kote, is the walled stronghold of the Adil Shahi sultans, who ruled from Vijayapura (old Bijapur) in northern Karnataka between the 15th and 17th centuries. Work began under Yusuf Adil Shah, founder of the dynasty, and later rulers kept enlarging it until it became a sprawling complex at the heart of the kingdom's politics, culture and building activity.

The defences consist of massive walls and heavy bastions broken by great gateways, and the architecture blends Persian, Turkish and Indian ideas. Beyond its military role, the court here drew poets, scholars and musicians, and Persian verse and classical music were part of royal life. Local lore tells of passages beneath the fort and of treasure hidden in them that has never been found.