Vellore

Top 6 Places To Visit In Vellore

Located at the banks of the Palar River, Vellore is an ancient

 city that has been ruled by the various prosperous dynasties

 of south India. The Pallavas, The Cholas, Vijaynagar kingdom, 

Carnatic Empire and the British are the various powers that ruled

 the region of Vellore and are responsible for the city’s cultural

 heritage. The city like any princely Indian city should be is

 famous for various forts, temples, picnic spots and other

 important tourist attractions. So here’s the list of the most 

important places to visit in Vellore.

1. Vellore Fort

Vellore Fort was built during the 16th century AD

 by the Aravindu Dynasty of the Vijaynagar Empire.

 Later the fort’s ownership passed through the various

 dynasties like the Marathas, Bijapur Sultans, the 

Carnatic Nawabs and the British. The massive

 ramparts and moats have made the fort a 

strategic location, it was also known to have Tipu 

Sultan’s family and the last king of Sri Lanka as 

prisoners during the time of the British. The fort 

complex contains a church, a temple and a mosque.

2. Jalakandeswarar Temple

Jalakandeswarar Temple is located within the Vellore 

fort complex and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Temple

 is one of the amazing specimens of the Dravidian 

architecture and houses one of the most intricately 

carved stone pillars. The temple also has a huge 7 

tiered gopuram and adorned with various intricate carvings.

3. Srilakshmi Golden Temple

Located in a Temple town called Sripuram, the

 Srilakshmi Golden Temple is also known by the 

name Lakshmi Narayani temple. The amazing feature 

of the temple is pretty evident as the whole structure

 is coated in gold leaf. The gold plated sheets cost a

 whopping 65 million US dollars and the amount of the

 gold used is a massive 1500 kilograms. The temple is

indeed a modern architectural marvel.

4. Vainu Bappu Observatory

Located at an altitude of 700 meters above sea level

 the Vainu Bappu Observatory is an astronomical 

observatory and often called as the telescope city. 

The observatory is located in a 100 acre forest and

 has a 93 inch telescope, the largest in Asia. The 

observatory has been famous for various 

groundbreaking scientific theories and discoveries.

5. Yelagiri

Located at an average altitude of 1,410 meters

 above sea level, Yelagiri is a small hill station in Vellore.

 The town is located in the middle of flowery meadows,

 tea estates and orchards. The various lakes and 

waterfalls in Yelagiri attract a huge number of tourists. 

The place is also famous for various trek routes and 

adventure sports such as Paragliding and rock climbing.

6. Delhi Gate (Vellore)

The Delhi Gate is one of the most important 

historical monuments in Tamil Nadu. The gate 

used to function as an entrance to an 18th century

 fort built by Daulat Khan Panni a governor 

under the Mughal Empire. The site has seen

 a number of important historical battles
 and the most famous Seige of Arcot led 

by the famous British officer Robert Clive.

Being a city with one of the richest cultural
heritage in India, Vellore is a city made
in gold. The above-mentioned places not
only provide the visitors an insight on
 the amazing history of the town but also
a moment of serene relaxation with its natural surroundings.