This capital of the state of Karnataka in Southern India is a relatively new city. It was founded in 1537 by Kempe Gowda, a chieftain of Yalahanka Nadu. A fort and four watchtowers, that was about it. Later on the city was expanded and late 18th century Tipu Sultan turned it into a fortified town - his palace is one of the main sights. Nowadays Bangalore (officially known as Bengaluru) is one of the most modern Indian cities, thanks to its many excellent universities and research institutes. It’s the centre of industries like electronics, telecommunications and aeronautics. It’s one of the world’s leadings cities in IT. That’s why Bangalore is often dubbed India’s Silicon Valley.
Another nickname is the Garden City, because of the many beautiful parks full of ever-blooming trees and bushes. The old town is located south of the railway station. You’ll find the newer part of town around the Cubbon Park, with MG Road (Mahatma Gandhi Road) as its artery, a wide avenue and modern shopping street filled with pubs serving draught beers.