Hospet Hosapete |
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City | |
Nickname(s): Steel City, Back Door of Vijayanagara | |
Location in Karnataka, India | |
Coordinates: 15°16′N 76°23′E / 15.27°N 76.39°ECoordinates: 15°16′N 76°23′E / 15.27°N 76.39°E | |
Country | India |
State | Karnataka |
District | Ballari district |
Founded by | Sri KrishnaDevaraya |
Named for | Nagalapura |
Government | |
• Type | Municipal Council |
• Body | CMC |
Area | |
• Total | 54.81 km2 (21.16 sq mi) |
Elevation | 479 m (1,572 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 206,167 |
• Rank | MLA = Anand Singh (ex tourism state minister) |
• Density | 3,800/km2 (9,700/sq mi) |
Languages | |
• Official | Kannada, English |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
PIN | 583 201, 02, 03, 11, 23, 25 |
Telephone code | 08394 |
Vehicle registration | KA-35 |
224th in India (13th in Karnataka)
Hospet or Hosapete is a city in Bellary District in central Karnataka, India. It is located on the Tungabhadra River, 12 km from Hampi. Hampi is a World Heritage site containing the ruins of the medieval city Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Hospet was built in 1520 AD by Krishna Deva Raya, one of the rulers of Vijayanagara. He built the city to honour the memory of his mother Nagalambika. The city was originally named Nagalapura; however, people referred to the city as Hosa Pete, which meant "New City". The area between Hampi and Hospet is still called Nagalapura. This was the main entrance to the city of Vijayanagara for travellers coming from Goa and the west coast.
The current MLA for this area is Anand Singh. The government approved a request to rename the city in October 2014, and Hospet was renamed "Hosapete" on 1 November 2014.
Hospet is well connected to several important cities in India. Bellary, the regional capital, is located approximately 60 km away from Hospet. Hosapete Junction railway station lies on Hubbali-Guntakal railway line. Bengaluru is 330 km away. In addition, the city has a well-developed market area. Hospet is a well-known tourist destination, mainly due to the proximity of Hampi. Tungabhadra Dam is another asset that makes Hospet a popular destination for tourists. Hospet is also notable for its iron ore mining and steel plants.
According to the 2011 census, the total population of Hospet was 206,159. The town has an average literacy rate of 80%, with male literacy at 85% and female literacy at 67%. In Hospet, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.