siddharthx
Queen's Bath Balconies
This is the first ruined structure you would see when you enter into the Royal center from the Kamalapura-Hampi main road.
For some mysterious reasons this was called the Queen’s Bath. In all probability this was a royal pleasure complex for the king and his wives.
It is an unassuming plain rectangular building from out side. But when you get inside, the story is different.
The whole building is made with a veranda around facing a big open pond at the middle. Projecting into the pond are many balconies. An aqueduct terminates in the pond.
The balconies are decorated with tiny windows and supported by lotus bud tipped brackets. The whole pool is open to the sky. This brick lined pool is now empty. But it’s believed once fragrant flowers and perfumed water filled this bathing pool. At one end of the veranda you can see a flight of steps giving access to the pool. The domical roof of veranda is a spectacle itself.
Each dome in the corridor is designed in a unique style. Also on the floor of the empty pool you can spot some sockets probably meant to support the pillars that were part of a canopy. The whole building from inside looks like some ancient indoor aquatic complex.
Outside around the building is a big water channel encircling the building. You need to cross that at some places where a bridge like structure is made. Probably this was designed to prevent intruders from walking into the place where the royal harem took a bath.
The central portion was the pool. Seen around are the balconies that over look the pool.
There is a small garden too now made in front of the queen’s bath. The architecture is Indo-Saracenic in style, may be a bit more Islamic style than the Hindu style of architecture with the arches and other decorations.
Queen's Bath Balconies
This is the first ruined structure you would see when you enter into the Royal center from the Kamalapura-Hampi main road.
For some mysterious reasons this was called the Queen’s Bath. In all probability this was a royal pleasure complex for the king and his wives.
It is an unassuming plain rectangular building from out side. But when you get inside, the story is different.
The whole building is made with a veranda around facing a big open pond at the middle. Projecting into the pond are many balconies. An aqueduct terminates in the pond.
The balconies are decorated with tiny windows and supported by lotus bud tipped brackets. The whole pool is open to the sky. This brick lined pool is now empty. But it’s believed once fragrant flowers and perfumed water filled this bathing pool. At one end of the veranda you can see a flight of steps giving access to the pool. The domical roof of veranda is a spectacle itself.
Each dome in the corridor is designed in a unique style. Also on the floor of the empty pool you can spot some sockets probably meant to support the pillars that were part of a canopy. The whole building from inside looks like some ancient indoor aquatic complex.
Outside around the building is a big water channel encircling the building. You need to cross that at some places where a bridge like structure is made. Probably this was designed to prevent intruders from walking into the place where the royal harem took a bath.
The central portion was the pool. Seen around are the balconies that over look the pool.
There is a small garden too now made in front of the queen’s bath. The architecture is Indo-Saracenic in style, may be a bit more Islamic style than the Hindu style of architecture with the arches and other decorations.