Adoni Fort
Adoni Fort is a 15th-century historic monument built during the reign of the Vijayanagara Dynasty. The fort served as a military base and its walls stretch over 50 kilometers in length making it the largest fort in the country. After the downfall of the Vijayanagara empire, the fort was possessed by the Bijapur Sultanate and later, after the defeat of Tipu Sultan, came under the British Reign.
History of Adoni Fort
Adoni Fort is a wonderful historical site built in the 15th century. This is also a good place for trekking in the rocks and ruins of the fort. Adoni fort is one of the largest forts in India with the fortification walls running beyond 50 km in length. Adoni was a military base for the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century.
After the downfall of the Vijayanagara empire, it was taken possession of by the Bijapur sultan. Adoni continued to be ruled as a relatively independent region by nobles appointed by Bijapur sultans. Siddi Masud, the governor of Adoni made several additions to the fort including the construction of Jamia Masjid and several townships. Siddi Masud had been an avid collector of painting. Adoni later went into the hands of the Mughal empire followed by Hyderabad Nizams.
Tipu Sultan briefly occupied this region. After the defeat of the Tipu Sultan, Adoni came under British rule and remained part of the Ceded region (Rayalaseema) until independence.
Architecture of Adoni Fort
The fort has several entrance gates, and it is encircled by seven huge granite hills. The fort is a collection of 12 sub-forts built throughout several centuries. There are several places of interest within the fort premises including Nawab Darbar Hall, Jamia Masjid, Venu Gopala Temple, Malik Rahman Dargah, Shiva Temple, Amba Bhavani Temple, and several water bodies.
Most of the core fort area remains in ruins and efforts are needed from the archeology department to revive the fort to attract a large number of tourists. Venu Gopala Temple is a wonderful temple built during the Vijayanagar period on a grand scale with its signature architecture.
