Srirangapatna

At a distance of 14 km from the city, Srirangapatna is a historic, religious and cultural hub, situated on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway. The whole town is surrounded by the Kaveri river, forming a small river-island. The erstwhile capital of Mysore during the reign of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatna houses a plethora of tourist attractions including a fort, Daria Daulat Bagh (Summer Palace), a museum showcasing paintings, sketches and coins, Masjid-E-Ala or Jamia Masjid (built by Tipu Sultan), Balmuri falls, Gumbaz (Mausoleum of Tipu Sultan), Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon and many famous temples. But the most important of them all is the 9th century Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, an incarnation of Vishnu. This is why Srirangapatna is also a major Vaishnavaite center.