The capital of Karnataka state, Bangalore is the fifth largest city in India. Known as the “Garden City”, because of its many parks and gardens, this city also enjoys the reputation of being dubbed as India’s “Silicon Valley”. The reason for this is that Bangalore is India’s IT base with many large multinational IT houses having set up their head offices here.
An ancient city, modern day Bangalore was founded in the 16th century and as in the yesteryears this city continues to play a vital role in India’s modernization. There are a large number of historical, religious and archeological sites scattered all over the Bangalore which displays this city’s proud and spectacular heritage. Some important and famous places to visit in Bangalore include;
Lal Bagh
Lal Bagh which means ‘Red Garden’ is Bangalore’s most popular tourist attraction. This beautiful garden gets its name from the fact that red roses blossom here throughout the year. The garden also houses a rare collection of plants, herbs, and other tropical and sub-tropical trees from a number of countries all over the world.
Spread over 240 acres, Lal Bagh was built by Haider Ali in the 17th century. In 1840 a magnificent glass house was erected in the garden which resembles London’s Crystal Palace. The best time to visit this beautiful garden is January and August, when the flowers are in full bloom. During Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations major flower and horticultural shows are held here every year. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, a walk in this beautiful garden is the prefect escape from the humdrum of city life.
Vidhan Soudha
The Vidhan Soudha presently houses the legislative assembly of Karnataka State and is also partially home to the Karnataka secretariat. A sight to see when illuminated by night, this building is a highly recommended when touring the city. The Vidhan Soudha was built in 1954 by Kengal Hanumanthaiya, the then Chief Minister of the state. Architecturally speaking this building is built in the Neo-Dravidian style and is made entirely from Bangalore granite. The inscription on the Vidhan Soudha reads ‘Government work is God's work.’
Cubbon Park
Bangalore’s top attraction is Cubbon Park which is situated right in the heart of the city. This amazing park is sprawled out over 300 acres and is beautifully landscaped to provide the city’s dwellers with a place to relax and enjoy by ones self or with ones family. Laid out in 1864 by the chief engineer of Mysore Sir Richard Shankey as a tribute to Lord Cubbon, the longest serving Commissioner of Bangalore, this park is filled with stunning floral beds and beautiful shady trees. Within the expanse of the park is located the Attara Kacheri or Karnataka's High Court building, as well as the city’s central library, an aquarium, the Jawahar bal bhavan and mini theatre, a museum, and a children's playground. A charming old toy train known as the Puttani Express offers both adults and children a ride around this beautiful park and is the perfect break after spending a long day in the city.
Bangalore Palace
Built in 1887 by Chamaraja Wodeyar and based on Tudor-style architecture, the Bangalore Palace is a must see building if you are touring the city. Inspired by Windsor Castle, this Palace is easily accessible to tourists and covers an area of 800 acres.
Situated in the middle of Bangalore, the Palace is perhaps most famous for its elegant and beautiful carvings and paintings. Complete with Gothic windows, battlements and fortified towers, this Palace is almost entirely made from wood
Venkatappa Art Gallery
The Venkatappa Art Gallery is a fabulous treat for art lovers the world over. This is because this gallery contains some priceless works of art and has over 600 paintings on display. Besides the art work, the gallery also exhibits Plaster of Paris works and other works of art by the famous artist Venkatappa and some other contemporary painters. A wing of the State Government Museum, there is also a separate section of the gallery for the wooden sculptures of Major Cheppudira Ponnappa Rajaram.
Tipu’s Summer Palace
The construction of this Palace was actually started by Haider Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, Mysore’s most famous ruler. Completed in 1791, this Palace is made entirely from wood and was the summer residence of the Sultan. He named it Tashk-e-Jannat which means ‘the envy of heaven’. This beautiful palace is built on Mughal style architecture and is filled with intricately carved arches and minarets and stunning wall and ceiling paintings. It is said that this palace resembles the Daria Daulat Palace at Srirangapatna, which was Tipu's capital in that era.
Iskcon Temple
The Iskcon Temple is a spectacular temple that blends ancient Dravidian architecture with modern stylings to create a building that is both unique and distinct. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness or Iskcon for short also contains many modern facilities like a multi-vision cinema theatre, computer-aided presentation theatres a Vedic library, a preaching library, and accommodation facilities for members and non-members who wish to stay here.
Bull Temple
The Bull Temple is a definitely worth checking out if you visit Bangalore. Dedicated to Lord Shiva's Vahana (vehicle), Nandi the bull, this temple draws hoards of people to it every day. Built by Bangalore’s original architect, Kempe Gowda, in the16th-century, this huge statue is 4.5 meters tall and 6 meters long.
