Penukonda Fort

The name of the Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is apt. the word Penukonda translates in the local tongue as big hill. The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is located at a convenient distance from the city, making it one of the favorite excursion spots from the city of Hyderabad. The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is a fortress that stands sentinel at the foot of the big hill protecting it from any insurgency. The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is a remnant of the reign of the Vijayanagar Kingdom. Penukonda was used by the kings of this dynasty as their second capital, and they called the town of Penukonda as Ghanagiri.

The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad itself was built during the reign of the son of King Bukka-I, Vira Virupanna Udaiyar. So, most of the ancient mention of the Penukonda Fort in inscriptions refers to the fort as Ghangri or Ghanagiri. The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is an embodiment of the architectural and particularly sculptural excellence of the Vijayanagar era. The Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad also has numerous temples within its fortifications. In fact, is supposed that there was as many as 365 temples; each to be worshipped on one day of the year. Though most of them are in quite a dilapidated and precarious state, they nevertheless remain elegant examples of a bygone era. Within the Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad is also to be found plenty of other attractions like a summer resort of the Vijayanagar kings that dates back to 1575 AD, a Muslim Shrine indicating a harmonious co-existence and a broad-mindedness.

Some of the choicest attractions in and around Penukonda Fort near Hyderabad are listed below:

• Yoga Narasimha
• Kasi Viswanatha
• Rama temples
• Gagana Mahal
• Babayya Darga
• Lord Yogarama temples
• Sher Khan Mosque
• 11 feet high idol of Lord Hanuman
• Yerramanchi Gate