Historical landmark in Kalasipalyam
Kempegowda Tower, Bengaluru
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The story of Kempegowda Tower, Bengaluru
Kempegowda Tower stands inside Lal Bagh, and the tower tradition around Bengaluru is tied to a set of four markers that once defined the township’s limits and security.
The Indian Express says the four Kempegowda towers in the city are among the earliest markers still defining Bengaluru, and that they are believed to have been erected in the 16th century. It also says historians attribute them not to Kempegowda I but to his son Immadi Kempegowda, or Kempegowda II. The same publication describes them as a strategic military move: towers to guard the new township from invasion, with guards deployed to watch for enemy movement and prevent attack.
Paper Planes adds that the towers were meant to demarcate the boundaries of the city in the four cardinal directions, and that some plaques call them each about four metres tall. It also notes that this tower belongs to the group of four, even though there are no clear markers for exactly when they were built.
If you are visiting now, Lal Bagh opens daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Look for the tower as part of that larger garden setting, and for any plaque that explains its place in the city’s old boundary system.
In brief
Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh (lit. 'red garden'), is a botanical garden in Bengaluru, India. It was originally built by Hyder Ali in 1760, during the Sultanate of Mysore . The garden was later managed under numerous British superintendents before Indian Independence. It was responsible for the introduction and propagation of numerous ornamental plants as well as those of economic value. It also served a social function as a park and recreational space, with a central glass house dating from 1890 which was used for flower shows. In modern times, it hosts two flower shows coinciding with the week of Republic Day (26 January) and Independence Day (15 August). As an urban green space along with Cubbon Park, it is also home to numerous wild species of birds and other wildlife. The garden also has a lake adjoining a large rock on which a watchtower had been constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II.
Before you go
- Open today
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Time to allow
- 1.5-2.5 hr
- Best months
- May to March
- Address
- WHXQ+CQV, Lalbagh, Mavalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004, India