[ Hampi photo ]
Hampi
Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, one of the richest cities in the world in the 16th century, until it was sacked in 1565. Today its ruins stretch across a lunar landscape of granite boulders: the Virupaksha Temple, the stone chariot of the Vittala Temple, the 500-year-old stepped tanks, and royal enclosures that still feel monumental. It is one of the most dramatic and walkable heritage sites in India.