Solapur Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Solapur

The Siddheshwar Temple is an iconic temple situated in the middle of a beautiful lake and is surrounded by water on all sides. It is ranked as the most picturesque tourist spot in the entire city of Solapur. The temple was constructed by Sri Mallikarjuna’s devoted disciple.

Sri Mallikarjuna belonged to Srisailam, from Shri Siddharamehswar. The idol of Siddheshwar signifies the holy incarnation of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu who went by the same name. The lake that the temple is located upon is the Siddheshwar Lake and consists of three gates that allow you to enter the courtyard on the inside of the temple.

Nearby lies a luscious green garden that houses a small shrine dedicated to Saint Nalatwad. The temple complex also accommodates a few shrines built in worship of Lord Vithoba and Goddess Rukmini. The temple is worth at least one visit while you are in Solapur. 

The fort of Naldurg is located about 45 km away from Solapur and is a famous historic monument. It is located in the Osmanabad District in the state of Maharashtra. The fort was earlier called Yeral, when it belonged to the Bahmani Sultans before it was passed on to the Mughal Empire.

The Naldurg Fort is especially famous for its pretty waterfalls, commonly known as Nar and Madi – that translates to Male and Female in the local language. The view of these waterfalls is at its scenic best during the monsoons or the post monsoon period when they are in full swell, cascading down the lovely mountains.

The fort itself is a historic wonder, depicting a classic Indo–Islamic style of architecture. This style of architecture is extremely unique and unheard of amidst the bevy of forts that are scattered all across Maharashtra.

Chand Bawdi was built by Ali Adil Shah in 1557. It is a tank near the eastern boundary of Bijapur, and took nearly three years to be built. Post the decline of the Vijayanagar Empire, there were a lot of people who initiated new settlements in Bijapur. The tank used to provide water to the entire city of Bijapur and had a massive storage capacity of 20 million litres of water.

The tank later went on to become a benchmark for the other tanks created in the region. Soon, an exquisite complex was built around it and was mainly employed for maintenance of the royal family, and for their recreational purposes. Ali Adil Shah named the tank after his wife – Chand Bibi. 

The Gol Gumbad is a part of the village of Bijapur, about a hundred kilometres away from Solapur city. It is a highly prominent part of the ancient cultural history of India because of its architectural significance.

Gol Gumbad literally translates to a ‘Rose Dome’ and draws its reference from the lotus and rose petals that surrounded the base of the dome, making it resemble a budding flower itself. It is basically a mausoleum built in memory of Mohammed Adil Shah, the then Sultan of Bijapur, and was built in 1656 by Yaqut of Dabul – a noted architect of that time.

The tomb is sprawled over an enormous area of 18,000 sq ft and boasts of one of the largest and most luxurious chamber spaces in the entire world.

The Whispering Gallery found inside the monument is an exciting place where even the softest made sound can be heard on the Mausolem’s other side due to its architectural brilliance that shrewdly took care of the acoustics of the place.

The simplicity of the tomb’s structure catches your eye instantly. It was regarded as the ‘structural triumph of Deccan architecture’. 

The Asar Mahal served as the Hall of Justice for the reigning kingdom then. Constructed under the guidance of Mohammed Adil Shah, it was set up in 1646. The monument dates back to almost three and half centuries. Apart from the Hall of Justice, Asar Mahal also served as a unique place to preserve the hair that came from the Prophet’s beard.

The entire monument is very exquisitely made with fine attention paid to every little detail. The upper storey of the building is adorned with amazing frescoes paintings. The festival of Urs was organized and celebrated annually at this very place.

The front porch of the site is home to a square tank – a place that was barred for the royal women. There are three large tanks placed here – the largest of which is almost 15 ft deep. The other two tanks are smaller in dimensions and depth in comparison.

Behind the historic monument of the Asar Mahal, one can still witness the remains of the old mosque on top of a citadel wall. The mosque consists of a grand entrance while the entire place is made in stone that holds plenty of inscriptions on each one of them. It is about a kilometre away from here. The Asar Mahal is currently maintained under the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Moti Baug tank is also locally referred to as the Kambar Talao Lake and is a great bird watching centre found in the district of Solapur. This spot is a huge hit amongst nature lovers and bird watchers who visit this place to observe the several migratory birds that make Mot Baug Lake their temporary haven.

Kambar Talao was once replete with pretty pink and white lotuses that floated here. However, ever since the SMC took up the maintenance and cleaning up of the tank, there haven’t been many lotuses to see off late. There are a few lotuses still there, doing their little bit to add more beauty to this nature’s piece of heaven. 

The Revanisiddheshwar Mandir (Temple) in the Solapur district is an old place of worship and is situated near the Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary in Nannaj and the Moti Baug Talao (Lake). The combination of the three major attractions holds great potential to be converted into a tourist hotspot – an International Bird Park to be precise.

The Revanisiddheshwar Temple was made in dedication to a renowned saint named Revanisiddheshwara. The basement on the inside of the temple’s chamber consists of the great saint’s idol. The shrine, meanwhile, is covered by several chambers made in stone.

The Hindu festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated with great aplomb here. A huge animal market is organized here during this auspicious occasion.

The Bhuikot Fort is a major attraction around Solapur. It was built during the period of rule under the Bahamani Dynasty in the medieval times – the 14th Century AD to be precise. History has it that Aurangzeb spent quite some time in this very fort.

Once it was handed over to the Peshwas, Bajirao II too resided over here. The fort is popular for its Animal Park that is home to several animals like the duck, the peacock, the rabbit and the monkey, amongst many others. Children will enjoy the plenty amusement facilities that are available here.

This locale is ideal to spend some quiet time with your family gazing at the rabbits or simply viewing the picturesque locale. There is a nearby well that is octagonal in shape and is also as dated as the Bhuikot Fort. 

The Shri Dahigaun Tirth - like the Tirths mentioned in the Tuljapur village – is a popular Jain pilgrim destination that lies in a village that goes by the same name, within Solapur District. This worship centre is revered for a 244 cm high black coloured idol of Lord Bhagwan Mahavir.

The idol can be seen seated in a Padmasana position. One can also observe the holy footprints of Mahattisagarji Maharaj Saheb that dates back to the Vikram era in the year 1889. The temple walls are ornately decorated and wonderfully done. There are exquisite paintings that are hung on these ancient old walls, with a special oil painting of Digmabar Acharyas.

The legend behind the Tirth claims that believers and devotees get rid of all their agonies and curses here because of the Mahattasagarji ardently meditating for them. The Tirth centre is easily reachable by hiking a bus from the Solapur bus or railway station. 

Kudal Sangam is a pilgrim centre of prime historic prominence. It is located on the banks of the rivers Sina and Bhim and is one of the best sites in the area of the district of Solapur. The history of this place goes back to as much as eight hundred years. Kudal Sangam is home to the oldest temple whose construction is inspired from the Hemandpathi style of architecture.

The Lingam found in this place is unique in nature and not found anywhere else in India. The Kudal Sangam Development Board has been set up by the Government to aid in the development of this spot into a pilgrim centre.

The Naldurg forts, along with the Nar and Madi waterfalls are placed nearby. The famous rivers of Krishna and Ghatprabha coalesce here and flow towards yet another historic spot – Srisaila. Kudal Sangam has the oldest Hemad Panthi mandir. The Lingam at Kudal is unique and is not found anywhere else. Basveshwara Lived in Kudal Sangam.

Velapur is a small village located close to the district of Solapur, about 32 km away from Pandharpur. The village has a very famous temple of historical importance situated towards the north east. It has been constructed in the Hemandpathi style of architecture and resonates ancient beauty.

The temple houses close to twenty stone memorials alongside its shrine. The Hara-Nareshwara Temple is yet another temple in the nearby vicinity which is a major attraction. This place of worship leads you down a flight of steps – all riddled with inscriptions – to a square water tank.

The village is otherwise replete with old structures and buildings that provide a peek into the cultural lifestyle of the people who lived here centuries ago. Velapur is easily accessible from the Solapur city via local buses, or the Solapur railway station.

Indra Bhawan was constructed and established a century back in 1907. It was set up by the Late Shri Appasaheb Varad. The building is a three storeyed structure that is currently managed by the Solapur Municipal Corporation. This attraction can be visited on all days from 11 in the morning to 6 in the evening.

Nannaj is also popularly known as the Great Indian Bustard and was popularly identified by B. S. Kulkarni back in 1971. It is a tourist hotspot in the district of Solapur, given the sprawling sanctuary it is home to, and also identifies itself as an International Tourist Centre.

The local name of the Great Indian Bustard is the Maldhok, and is an extremely rare bird. It is a huge, white and brown bird that normally thrives in arid and semi-arid grasslands. The male Bustard is about 122 cm in length while the female is much smaller, at around 92 cm.

The sanctuary is sprawled over a massive area of about 8,500 sq km. A Muslim fort, built in the 14th century can be found in the sanctuary. The Great Indian Bustard, the common mongoose, the Indian fox, the hyena, the blackbuck and the wolf are the many animals found within the precincts of the sanctuary.

The Ekrukh Hipparga Talao is actually a culmination of the Hipparga Talao – aka the Hipparga Lake – and the Ekrukh Tank that is attached to the lake. This tank was established during the time when Solapur was under the British rule. It was set up by a certain Colonel Fife.

This Talao has an abundant amount of water all year long and was a main source of water supply to the entire district of Solapur. The Ekrukh Tank at the lake is considered to be the second largest irrigation project in the entire region of Deccan.

The Karmala village is home to several religiously significant temples. Along with Barshi and Mangalwedha, these three places historically had several saints residing here who gave rise to these places of worship. The temple architecture in Karmala is unique in its style.

One of the temples found here is significantly attached to the number 96. The structure is not only built with 96 pillars and accommodates 96 pictures displayed within it, but the steps that lead you to the gates of the temple are 96 as well.

The Kamala Bhawani Temple situated here is one of the most prominent temples Karmala is famous for. Constructed in 1727 by Rao Raje Nimbhalkar, this temple is dedicated to Goddess Kamaladevi and is styled keeping the Hemandpathi style of architecture in mind.

The festivals of Navratri and Kartik Poornima especially see an increase in the pilgrim crowd here as devotees throng the vicinity to seek the Goddess’ blessings.