In the year 1537, Kempe Gowda built as the nucleus of his new city of Bangalore, a mud fort, with eight gates which lent their names to different areas: Ulsoor Gate, Kengiri Gate etc. Inside the fortress walls, the city grew into a bustling commercial area, dividing into pets or localities where one trade dominated each area. To this day these areas bear their countries' old names, such as Chickpet (little town), Doddapet (big town), Taragupet (grain market), Halipet (cotton market) etc.

In 1687, the Mughals captured Bangalore from the Bijapur Sultanate and gave it on lease to King Chikkadevaraya Wadiyar of Mysore, eventually selling the city to the Mysore rulers for a paltry five lakh Rupees! The 19th century saw Bangalore grow from a mere military station to a flourishing administrative center and a prime residential locality with an aura of graciousness that sets it apart from other cantonments. It was separated from the old town, which had the fort as its nucleus, by a strip of open land about a mile-and-a-half wide.

Mysore State acceded to the union in 1947 and the then Maharajah, Sri Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar, nephew of his predecessor, became Rajpramukh (governor).

When the Indian states were reorganized on a linguistic basis by the States Reorganization Act of 1956, a new Mysore State (renamed Karnataka in 1973) was formed to unite the Kannada-speaking areas of the country and Bangalore remained the state capital.

This is a truly magnificent building housing the State Legislature and the Secretariat. The four-storied structure, was conceived and executed by Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the then chief minister of Karnataka, in 1956, at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. The architecture conforms to the Dravidian style with towering columns, captivating frescoes and carvings. The mammoth structure is rectangular in shape and has a total plinth area of over 5,05,000 square feet.

A great place to experience Bangalore's lush greenery- ideal for digesting that bite you grabbed at Brigades. This beautiful park is spread across 300 acres. It was laid out by Lieutenant General Mark Cubbon in 1864. Its scenic beauty and grassy expanse offer an irresistible invitation to the visitor. Within the park is situated the Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall

Gandhi Aquarium
The Government Aquarium in the Cubbon Park is maintained by the Department of Fisheries. It houses about 75 kinds of fish.

The Government Museum of Bangalore (one of India's oldest museums).

Venkatappa Art Gallery
Venkatappa Art Gallery is part of the Government Museum. Water colour paintings, plaster of Paris works and art are on display. There is a separate section for the wooden sculptures of Major Cheppudira Ponnappa Rajaram.

Built during Tipu Sultan's reign Attara Kacheri - the High Court in Bangalore is a manificient two storied building and a symbol of fine architechture, painted red 'Attara Kacheri' literally means 'The eighteen offices or departments'

The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum is one of the units of the National Council of Science Museums, an autonomous body functioning within the purview of the Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. Attractive models, depicting industrial and technological development of the country are displayed here. The basic scientific principles in different branches are demonstrated and their application in various industries are shown with the help of actual objects, working models, diagrams, descriptive charts, statistics and posters.

Awe inspiring and very educative is what the planeterium is all about. Besides the usual space shows of our solar system, the planetarium also has shows on Indian Mythology and astrology- all space related. And what's more, it has a very extensive library, museum and lab concentrating on practical science.

Musical Fountain- Situated opposite the Planetarium, the musical fountain has recently come up and attracts a large number of people everyday. Colourful fountains dancing to melodious music, under a starlit sky is a visual treat.

The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat serves as a temple where art is worshipped by many- tourists, students and professionals alike. Having nearly four decades of purposeful existence, it has become the cultural landmark of Karnataka, its usefulness assuming archival proportions.

Ulsoor Lake where a lot of people like sitting around, meeting up or even going boating. Working hours: 9 am to 5 pm. The weekly holiday is wednesday.

IISC - One of the topmost scientific institutions in the country, The Indian Institute of Science, established in 909 has steadily developed from year to year and is today the premier institution in the country for post-graduate specialised research in science and engineering. Its various departments cover practically every branch of pure science, applied science, management and production engineering, business administration, economics and social sciences.

ISKCON - This is a huge temple of Lord Krishna- one of the primary Gods of Southern India. Built at a cost of Rs 32 crore on a sprawling 7-acre plot, atop the Hare Krishna hill, the International Society or Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a pious blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony.

Shiva Statue - the statue stands at a massive height of 65 feet depicting Lord Shiva seated in a lotus like position in his glory. The Statue has the sacred Ganga river flowing from his matted locks as mythology has it and a backdrop of Mount Kailash - the lords heavenly abode.

Lal Bagh - This botanical garden was laid out by Hyder Ali in 1760 and later further beautified by his son Tipu Sultan. Lalbagh is one of the richest and most beautiful gardens in Karnataka. Situated about 2 km south east of the City Market, and covering an area of about 240 acres, the garden contains artistically laid out expansive lawns, flower beds, fountains and a rare and valuable collection of tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees that attract both the horticulturist, student of botany and the layman.

It is one of the oldest temples in the city built by Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore.the temple is known for a huge monolithic bull, about 15 feet long.The colourful flowerbeds and flowering trees, laid out and maintained with meticulous care, are at once a feast to the eye and a delight to the soul. There is a spacious 'Glass House', inspired by the Crystal Palace in London, situated inside the park, with a hall artistically built with Crystal glass roofing.

An inscription on the wooden beam describes the palace as an 'Abode of Happiness' and 'Envy of Heaven'. Tipu's Palace is one of the national monuments, which comes under the purview of the Central government under Human Resources Development ministry. One of Tipu's summer retreats, this is a two-storied, ornate wooden structure with pillars, arches and balconies. The construction of the palace was commenced by Hyder Ali in 1781 and completed by Tipu Sultan in 1791. It also resembles the Dariya Daulat at Srirangapatna. There is also a small gallery where portraits and photos of Tipu Sultan's birth, youth and death are displayed. The other items include photographs of forts at Hassan, Srirangapatna and Bangalore, his dress, swords, a clock presented to Tipu by the French, silver coins of Tipu and silver vessels presented by Tipu to Sriranganatha Swamy temple at Srirangapatna.

The palace is built over 45 thousand square fee and has a beautiful garden around it. Situated in the heart of the city the palace was built in 1887 by a Wodeyar King. It is now one of the most prominent monuments in Bangalore and is a major tourist attraction.

Funworld is an amusement park, which has various kinds of rides for people of all ages groups where one can unwind and have a great time. It is spread over 12 acres within the confines of the Palace Grounds. A delight for kids it has plenty of rides from Atlanta Roller Coaster to Caterpillar rides to rounded trains and more.

Bangalore Airport is 13 km east of the City Station. There are number of daily flights to important cities like Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, Mangalore, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram.

Bangalore is accessible by rail.There are two railway stations in Bangalore. The main station is well connected to all major Indian cities. There are number of daily express trains from Bangalore to other cities of India.

Bangalore has a large bus terminus, which is near the railway station.