Heritage Karnataka Hampi Badami Pattadakal Aihole Lakkundi Kittur Chennamma Fort Chitradurga Fort Bijapur Gulbarga Fort Bidar Fort Mysore Palace Srirangapatna Somnathpur Belur Helebidu Bangalore Palace Tipu's Fort And Palace Bellary Fort Adi Chunchanagiri       District: Bagalkot   Badami - 44km Bijapur - 110km Bangalore - 495km   Badami - 44km   Dabolim (Goa) - 336km STD Code: 08357     A tranquil village on the banks of the Malaprabha river, Aihole is acclaimed as the cradle of Hindu temple architecture. There are hundreds of temples in the villages and fields nearby. The most impressive one is the Durga Temple with its semicircular apse, elevated plinth, and the gallery encircling the sanctum. The Lad Khan Temple, which is one of the earliest temples, was originally a royal assembly hall and marriage mantapa chosen as the abode of a Muslim prince, Lad Khan. The Huchimalli Temple with a sculpture of Vishnu sitting atop a large cobra, the Ravalphadi Cave Temple celebrating the many forms of Shiva, the Konti Temple Complex, the Umamaheswari Temple, the Jain Meguti Temple, and the two-storied Buddhist Temple are other sights worth seeing.