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Sri Venkateswara Temple

It is the most prominent landmark in the entire town and the presiding deity is said to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. The temple is located on the southern bank of Swami Pushkarni. The temple is a wonderful example of Dravidian architecture featuring gold plated Cupola and called as “Ananda Nilayam”. The Gopuram of the temple is dexterously carved out and attracts a significant number of tourists who come here to seek the blessings of the deity.

Sri Venkateswara National Park

Sri Venkateswara National Park is another attraction amidst the range of sanctuaries in India. Sited at a distance of 10 km from Tirupati, the park sprawls in an area of 353 sq km, over the Kadapa and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh. It boasts of many mesmerizing waterfalls, like Talakona, Gundalakona and Gunjana. Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary makes an interesting excursion from the divine land of Tirupati.

For a nature lover, the park is no less than a veritable heaven, where precipitous gorges, sheer ridges, unfathomable valleys and striking waterfalls find their place in a lush green countryside, surrounded by Seshachalam and Tirumala hills. Over and above, a plethora of wild animals and birds make the affable community in this indigenous land. Established in 1989, Sri Venkateswara National Park was named after Lord Venkateswara - the 'Lord of Seven Hills'.

The wide range of fauna found here includes wild animals and mammals like Tiger, Civet, Jackal, Black Buck, Panther, Spotted Deer, Ibex, Sloth Bear, Pig, Bear, Bonnet Monkey, Wild Dogs, Bison, Jackal, Fox, Rare Golden Gecko, Jungle Fowl, Indian Giant Squirrel, Tree Shrew, Flying Lizards, Nilgai, Wildboar, Occasional Leopard and Hyena. Avifauna comprises of more than 100 species of birds, including Crested Serpant Eagle, Ashy Crowned Finch Lark, Indian Roller, Kingfishers, White bellied Woodpecker, etc.

Besides fauna, Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary is also quite rich in flora and foliage. The mixed vegetation in the park has patches of moist deciduous tree-plants. It has approximately 1500 species of plants, which belong to 176 families. Some of plant species available in Sri Venkateswara Wildlife Sanctuary are Sandalwood, Redsanders, Shorea, Thumbergiana, Shorea talura, Terminalia pallida, Cycas beddomei, Syzygium alternifoliumm, Tamba Jalari, Gymnosperm, Tella Karakkaya,
etc.

Chandragiri

Chandragiri was once the former capital of Vijayanagar Empire, located just 12 kms away from the temple city of Tirupati. The site has magnificent forts and mahals which are attracting and fascinating. Chandragiri signifies the “Hill of the Moon” is traditionally associated with the Moon God who is said to have performed penance at this place to please Lord Shiva. The temple complex includes religious structures like temples of Venugopala, Karttikeya, Siva and Hanuman at the entrance of the fort as guardian deity; ponds, tanks and many sculptured mandapas.

Chandragiri’s glorious past can also be seen in its fortress dating back to 16th century. The most important palace inside the fort is the Raja Mahal where Francis Day of the East India Company granted land in 1639. Close to this monument is another magnificent edifice called Rani Mahal with tall pyramidal towers and façade decorated with foliate and geometric motifs.

Tiruchanur

About 5 km from Tirupati Temple, Tiruchanur houses the renowned temple of Sri Padmavathi Devi (Goddess Lakshmi), the consort of Sri Venkateswara. It is believed that a visit to Tirupati temple is rewarding only after paying homage to Sri Padmavati Devi Temple. Also known as Alamelumangapuram, Tiruchanur also comprises Sri Krishnaswamy Temple, Sri Sundara Rajaswamivari Temple and Sri Suryanarayana Swamivari Temple.

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