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Kondapalli Fort

Kondapalli Fort

heritage site · Andhra Pradesh

State
Andhra Pradesh
Type
Heritage Site

Kondapalli Fort sits in the Kondapalli hill range west of Vijayawada, in NTR district, Andhra Pradesh, featuring three successive gateways, fortified walls with towers, and the hilltop Tanisha Mahal palace.

Kondapalli Fort is known for

14th-century Reddi Kingdom fortDargha Darwaza granite gatewayTanisha Mahal hilltop palacemulti-dynasty ownershipropeway and light-and-sound experience

A short history

The fort was built in 1360 CE by Anna Vema Reddy of the Reddi Kingdom after capturing the site from the Mudigonda Chalukyas. Control passed to Hamvira Deva in 1472, who ceded the fort to the Bahmani Sultanate, before it returned to Reddi control in 1481. Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire conquered it in 1515, and it came under Golconda Sultanate rule in 1531. Mughal rule was established in the 17th century, and the British stormed the fort under General Caillaud in 1766, with treaties signed in 1766 and 1768. The East India Company purchased outright control of the fort in 1823. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kondapalli_Fort]

Why Kondapalli Fort matters

Kondapalli's near-700-year history spans the Reddi Kingdom, Bahmani Sultanate, Vijayanagara Empire, Golconda Sultanate, Mughals and British East India Company, illustrating the successive power struggles for the Krishna-Godavari coastal region.

When to go

Open 10 AM to 5 PM; cooler months recommended

How to reach

Vijayawada Railway Station is about 24 km away, and the fort is reached from Vijayawada by bus or cab.

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