Karnataka · South
Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
Pampapathi Temple
The only temple at Hampi still in daily worship, Virupaksha predates the Vijayanagara empire by centuries -- inscriptions place a shrine here as early as the 7th century -- and was progressively enlarged by Vijayanagara kings into the towering complex seen today. Its soaring nine-storey gopuram anchors the World Heritage-listed Group of Monuments at Hampi, capital of one of medieval India's wealthiest empires, and a rare pinhole aperture inside projects an inverted image of the tower onto a chamber wall, a piece of applied optics unusual in temple architecture. Vijayanagara-era ceiling paintings survive in the mandapa. Set against Hampi's granite boulder landscape on the Tungabhadra's banks, it remains the living heart of a ruined imperial capital.
Art & Architecture
- Nine-tier eastern gopuram rising 50 metres, visible across the boulder-strewn landscape
- Camera-obscura effect: an inverted shadow of the main tower projects through a small aperture onto an inner wall
- Painted ceiling panels from the Vijayanagara period depicting mythological and courtly scenes
- Continuously functioning temple predating the Vijayanagara empire itself
Best Season
Festivals
Hampi Utsav · Virupaksha Car Festival · Maha Shivaratri
Journeys Featuring This Temple
Planning your visit
Nearby
Guesthouses and dharamshalas near the temple often take walk-ins. Confirm a single-occupancy rate when you call.
Stone-pavilion palace resort styled on Vijayanagara architecture, about 20 minutes south of the Virupaksha bazaar; the group also runs hot-air balloon flights over the ruins and has 22 kW EV charging on site.
Checked by us
The state tourism corporation's own hotel at Kamalapura and, by its own description, the only hotel inside the World Heritage Site boundary; rooms run from dormitory beds to wooden cottages and suites, and guides can be booked at the desk.
Checked by us
- Hotel Malligi, Hosapete9.8 km
The long-established Hosapete base for Hampi with a swimming pool, spa and three restaurants; it lends guests a complimentary Hampi audio guide, useful if you are not hiring a guide at the temple gate.
Checked by us
- Shambhu guest house184 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
- Gopi Guesthouse and Roof Restaurant203 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
- Rocky Guest House207 m
From Overture Maps — not verified by us (2026-08-02)
Listings drawn from third-party maps are not verified by us and may be out of date. Please confirm directly before you travel.
Sources