6 Best Historical Places & Heritage Sites near Vizag (Visakhapatnam)

At a distance of 198 km from Hyderabad, 128 km from Vijayawada and 119 km from Warangal, Khammam is a town and headquarters of Khammam district. Situated on the banks of Munneru River, a tributary of Krishna River, Khammam is one of the top Telangana tourist places.

Khammam derived its name from Stambadri, a hill on which an ancient Narasimha temple is built. Stambadri was called Kambam Mettu, which later changed to Kammamet and finally Khammam. Khammam district is known for its natural resources like coal and iron ore. It is also famous for its natural beauty. Godavari River flows through Khammam district touching Bhadrachalam. Khammam district is bordered with Bastar region of Chattisghar state which is core Dandakaranya forest area.

Khammam was ruled by several dynasties including Kakatiyas, Musunuri Nayaks and Velama kings, Reddy kings, Qutb Shahi and Nizams of Hyderabad. Khammam district has several tourist attractions like Bhadrachalam, Kinnerasani Dam & Sanctuary, Khammam Fort, Kusumanchi Temples, Nelakondaalli, etc.

Khammam is well connected by Road and Train from Hyderabad and Vijayawada. It is hardly 2 hours drive from Vijayawada and 3 hours from Hyderabad. Khammam also has excellent public transportation facility. The Khammam railway station lies between Hyderabad - Vijayawada line and has frequent train ...

Distance from Vizag: 407 Kms

At a distance of 36 km from Puri, 61 km from Bhubaneswar, 111 km from Ratanpur, 394 km from Rourkela, 408 km from Jamshedpur, 462 km from Vizag, 482 km from Raigarh and 522 km from Ranchi, Konark is a small town in Puri district of Odisha along the coast of Bay of Bengal. Renowned world over for the Sun Temple, Konark is one of the top tourist destinations in Odisha and also one of the popular places of heritage in India.

The name Konark is derived from two Sanskrit words - Kona meaning angle and Arka meaning sun, in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun God. Also known as the Black Pagoda, the Sun Temple was built in black granite during the reign of Narasimhadeva-I. The temple resembles the mythical chariot of the Sun God and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. The temple is now mostly in ruins, and a collection of its sculptures is housed in the Sun Temple Museum, which is run by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Konark Tourism presents a multitude of attractions that fascinate tourists from all over the world. Konark Beach, Ramachandi Temple, Kuruma, Astranga Beach, Varahi Devi Temple at Chaurasi and Maa Mangala Devi Temple at Kakatapur are some popular places to visit in Konark apart from Sun Temple. Konark was also one of the few places in India to experience a total solar eclipse.

Besides the magnificent Sun Temple, Konark is also famous for Konark Dance Festival. This five day long cultural extravaganza is one of the most ...

Distance from Vizag: 446 Kms

At a distance of 36 km from Araku, 88 km from Vizag & 662 km from Hyderabad, Borra Caves are one million year-old limestone caves and the deepest caves in the country. Situated in Anantagiri hills of Andhra Pradesh, the caves are situated at an altitude of 1400 m and occupy an area of 2 sq.km. Borra Caves is one of the best places to visit in Araku Valley as part of Vizag packages.

These natural caves were discovered in 1807 by William King George of the Geological Survey of India. According to locals, once a cowherd lost his cow while grazing. He soon realized that his cow had fallen down. While searching for the cow, the cowherd found these caves and came across a Linga inside it. The Linga is considered synonymous to Lord Shiva, who saved the cow. After this, a small Shiva temple was built right outside this cave.

The caves are filled with fascinating stalagmite and stalactite formations of calcium deposits. The Gosthani River used to flow through the caves between the formations. The caves were created due to the flow of river over the limestone area. The pressure was exerted by the humic acid in the water on the mineral deposits and the limestone dissolved in the water. The dissolved limestone trickled down drop by drop forming different shapes in the cave. One can see different formations of the stalactites and stalagmites as Shiv-Parvathi, Mother-Child, Rushi's Beard, ...

Distance from Vizag: 88 Kms

At a distance of 22 Kms from Vizag Railway Station & 620 Kms from Hyderabad, the Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex is situated on a hilltop in Chepala Uppadu village on Bheemili beach road (after Rishikonda).

Also known as 'the Hill of Eagles', the complex has a number of stupas, Chaityas, Viharas, a congregation hall and a refectory belonging to the Hinayana school, mostly excavated during1982-92. These remains are classifieds as religious, secular and civil. Excavations at Thotlakonda comprise pottery, beads, bangle pieces, tiles, stuccos, iron objects, sculptural remains, moulded bricks, inscriptions, coins, etc.

Distance from Vizag: 22 Kms

At a distance of 20 Kms from Vizag Railway Station & 618 Kms from Hyderabad, Bavikonda is historical Buddhist site near Kapula Uppadu village in Bheemili beach road (after Rishikonda).

The hill acquired the name Bavikonda due to the existence of wells on the hill to collect rain water for drinking purpose. The artifacts recovered here include Roman coins and satavahana coins apart from pottery dating back to 3rd century BC and 2nd Century AD. Excavations on the hill-top brought to light an extensive Buddhist establishment consisting of a Mahachaitya, stupas, chaityagrihas, a congregation hall, platforms, viharas, kitchen-cum-store complex, pottery, relic caskets, tiles, stuccos, iron objects, moulded bricks, coins etc

Distance from Vizag: 20 Kms

At a distance of 32 km from Guntur, 58 km from Amaravati and 73 km from Vijayawada, Kondaveedu Fort is an ancient hill fortress located at Kondaveedu village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the historical forts in Andhra Pradesh and among the famous Amaravati Tourist Places.

Kondaveedu Fort was constructed during the time of Telugu Chodas, strengthened by Kakatiyas and occupied by Prolaya Vema Reddy who shifted his capital from Addanki to Kondaveedu in 1323 AD. Later it was taken over by Gajpathis of Orissa and ravaged by the Bahmani Sultans in 1458. The Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya captured it in 1516. The Golconda Sultans fought for the fort in 1531, 1536 and 1579, and Sultan Quli Qutb Shah finally captured it in 1579, renaming it as Murtuzanagar. Later it was recaptured by the Mughal army of Aurangzeb in 1687 and the fort came under the control of the French colonists in 1752 when it was extensively fortified. It passed on to the English imperialists who got control of the fort in 1788 but abandoned it in the early 19th century in favour of Guntur.

There are two other forts nearby. All the three forts on top of the narrow hill range are now in ruins. At an altitude of about 1700 feet, the earliest one date back to 12th century and was considered then as one of the strongest forts in the region. It comprises huge ramparts, warehouses, granaries, and wells. There are two entry gates into the forts, called the 'Kolepalli Darwaza' and the ...