The Gooty fort is one of the oldest hill forts in Anantapur District. This historical marvel is perched 300 meters above the Gooty plains. The fort was built by the rulers of the Vijayanagara Kingdom but eventually fell into the hands of the Marathas. It was occupied by Haider Ali in 1773 and later fell to the British after the defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799.

What makes this fort unique is its shell-like structure that contains 15 forts and 15 main doors. The compounds of the fort comprise a series of walls linked by 14 gates. The fort also features two edifices, one of which is a gymnasium while the other is a powder magazine. Another special feature of the fort is the availability of water in a structure located at such an incredible height. Some of the inscriptions on the walls of this fort go back to the 7th century.

Inside the fort also stands a small pavilion built of polished limestone called Murari Rao’s seat. Truly a seat with a view, it is located on the edge of a cliff offering stunning views of the valley below. Gooty is located at a distance of 52 km from Anantapur on the Kurnool-Bangalore trunk road. Bookmark this fort and put it on top of your list of places to visit in Anantapur.