Hampi Vijayanagara

by John M. Fritz, George Michell

Hampi is one of the most beautiful and evocative of all historical sites in south India. Austere yet grandiose, it was established as the seat of the Vijayanagara empire in the mid-14th century, a time when art and architecture flourished. Contemporary chroniclers from Persia, Italy, Portugal and Russia visited the empire during this period and left glowing accounts of a city that was conquered by Sultanate troops in AD 1565, pillaged for six months, and abandoned.
Hampi Vijayanagara examines the temples renowned for their florid ornamentation, intricate carvings, magnificent pavilions, stately pillars and a wealth of iconographic and traditional depictions. The book also includes site plans and three-dimensional reconstructions.

Genres: History, Travel, India, Nonfiction, Architecture

160 pages, Illustrated Paperback

First published May 30, 2015

Reviews

[Sankar Subramaniam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently visited Hampi and bought this book to get more details about this place. As I have compared the books out there, I found this book to be the best. Let the photos be it or the text be it, makes us to feel like living in there. What a great kingdom, am astonished the way the king has ruled this place. Well organised city. Pictures in this book are of great quality especially Alexander Greenlaw photographs are of great value to the collection to your library.

The visitors reports (translated) gives much insight to the living of those people in 14th century especially kings palace and their lifestyle were brought in front of us.

Awesome book, must for those who love history.

[Mukram Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intrigued after my recent visit to the magnificent ruins of Hampi, I purchased this book. It does a good job at describing the history, arts and the present ruins. 'Austere yet Grandiose' is a phrase that has been etched to my mind after read, followed by the visit of the ruins. This is definitely on the best book around about the ruins and the background of the famed city.

[Prabhat Gusain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hampi Vijayanagara's fame derives from its role as capital of South India's largest, wealthiest and most powerful kingdom; hence its name, 'City of Victory' (Vijaya-nagara). Yet Hampi is not only of interest for its historical prestige and magnificent ruins; its remarkable landscape, religious associations and ongoing archaeological investigations make it a mythical landscape of international significance.

Granite boulders of varying tones of grey, ochre and pink dominate the landscape, distributed either as hills and long ridges or as piles of rock that seem to have been thrown down by some primeval cataclysm. The terrain is, however, one of the most ancient and stable surfaces to be found anywhere on earth, its unique rocky appearance caused not by earthquake and upheavel, but by some three thousand million years of erosion, at first underground and then, when uplifted, by exposure to sun, wind and rain.

[SU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Great book to read before visiting Hampi which I just did!

Must read before visiting Hampi

[Joy Kundu]

A must read book for Travellers planning to visit Hampi

[Roel Vlemmings]

Great book to read before you visit Hampi and as a guide book during your visit.