 The Indian city of Vijaywada is located in the Krishna district of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The city lies on the banks of the Krishna River with the Budameru River and the Bay of Bengal on the north and east side respectively. Surrounded by water bodies on 3 sides, the Indrakeeladri Mountain stands on the west side of Vijaywada, thus making the city a picturesque tourist attraction.
Listed below are some of the most important tourist attractions in Vijaywada:  Undavalli Caves: Known to be carved in the 7th century AD, the Undavalli Caves is a monolithic example of Indian rock cut architecture. Currently, it is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance and is a popular tourist attraction, where the huge monolith of the Lord Buddha in reclining posture is a magnificent sight.
Moghalrajpuram Caves: Home to 3 temples, the Moghalrajpuram Caves are reputed to be the first of their kind in South India. Gandhi Hill: Considered as a monument of Indian freedom struggle, the Gandhi Hill stands as the first Gandhi memorial with 7 stupas, which was constructed on this hill at a height of 500 ft. Today, it stands as one of the popular tourist attractions in Vijaywada because of the picturesque view, the light and sound show on Mahatma Gandhi's life and a planetarium which are some of its other attractions. Kanaka Durga Temple: Located atop the Indrakeeladri hill on the banks of the Krishna River, the Kanaka Durga Temple is one of the popular durga temples in around the city. The temple has a rich history and occupies an important place in the scriptures. There are mentions of the temple as several of the Shiva-leelas and Shakti-mahimas were enacted on or around it, making the region a place of spiritual significance and attracting pilgrims since times immemorial.  Mangalagiri: About 12 km from Vijayawada in the Guntur district, Mangalagiri is one of the oldest Vaishnavite temples of South India. Situated atop a hillock, Mangalagiri is a renowned temple of Lord Narasimha. The unique feature of this temple is that the mouth of the idol accepts half the quantity of panakam which is jaggery dissolved in water, offered by devotees, irrespective of the size of the vessel.
Bhavani Island: Known to be one of the largest river islands in India, the Bhavani Island is situated on the Krishna River at the upstream of Prakasam Barrage. Stretching over an area of 133 acres, the island shares close proximity to the Kanaka Durga Temple and is hence named Bhavani, which is the other name of Goddess Durga. Initiatives such as the Shilparamam have been taken by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism and help the local artisans. Prakasam Barrage: Built over 150 years ago, the Prakasam Barrage has several canals that run through the city of Vijaywada giving it a Venetian look. The Barrage provides view of the lake and is a popular tourist attraction. Bapu Museum: Formerly known as Victoria Jubilee Museum, the Bapu Museum is an archaeological museum. The museum has a carefully preserved collection of ancient sculptures, paintings, idols, weapons, cutlery and inscriptions. There are also other popular religious tourist attractions in Vijaywada like the Krishnaveni Mandapam, Hinkar Tirtha, Hazarat Bal Mosque, etc. |
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