Belgium Fort
Belgaum fort has recently honored by the Karnataka state as the ‘state heritage monument’. This fort is a microcosm of India, as it has in it all religious shrines.
Architecture :
Everyone is in awe with this mind blowing fort. The very entrance is decorated on either side with Goddess Durga and god Ganapathi shrines. Then within a few yards appears the Chalukyan style Jain sanctorum. The impeccable Mukhamantaapa with intricate lotus designs on the ceilings is real piece of cake in the fort. As we trend in the labyrinth paths we will come to encounter a pair of stunning Mosques which are an excellent exemplar of Indo Saracenic and Deccan fusion art. Other than this most of the void spaces are spotted with some skeletons of hoary building. This fort is pregnant with historical facts and events. Though the former structure is no longer in existence, Belgaum fort is a mouth piece of our ancestors.
History:
This fort sits just opposite to the serene lake and its history dates back to 1204 AD. Ratt Dynasty is the pioneer of this fort which later underwent several renovations by surplus rulers.
Facilities :
This fort has all primary facilities. There are well maintained rest rooms, food stall, souvenir shops, and camera/video pass.
Timings :
This fort is open on all days from 8 am to 6.30 pm; another remarkable feature is that it is open even on public holidays. So take a trip to this historical monument on your holidays.
Fare:
Entrance fare for this fort is reasonable, for foreigners Rs 150 and for Indians Rs 25, Video camera Rs 50.
Travel Mode :
Bus : Belgaum is one of the major cities in Karnataka, and so transportation to this city is busy around the clock. There are busses to this town from any cities in Karnataka.
Railway Station : Belgaum has its own railway station, from where there are lot of local busses and taxis to this fort.
Airport : Belgaum airport is about 6 km from this fort.
Nearest Tourist places:
Military Mahadeva temple, Gokak falls, kittu fort, and Godchinamalaki are some of the tourists places in Belgaum.