Hampi

Hampi is one of the world's most atmospheric ancient ruins. Between the 14th and 16th centuries it was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire - one of the largest Hindu empires ever - with a population of up to 500,000 people. Contemporary travellers described it as a city that rivalled Rome. In 1565, a coalition of five Sultanate armies defeated the Vijayanagara forces at the Battle of Talikota, and the capital was systematically looted and burned for six months. What remains - spread across 26 square kilometres of a surreal boulder landscape - is one of the great archaeological sites of the world.

The ruins are inseparable from the landscape. Massive, rounded granite boulders - some the size of houses, balanced improbably on each other - form the terrain in which the temples, palaces, markets, and ceremonial structures sit. The Virupaksha Temple, the oldest functioning temple in India, rises above the market street (Hampi Bazaar) and has been continuously used since the 7th century. The Vittala Temple complex contains the famous stone chariot (carved from a single rock) and the Musical Pillars - 56 pillars that produce different musical notes when struck.