A UNESCO monitoring team is scheduled to visit Hampi in Karnataka from 24 to 29 October 2026 to assess conservation efforts and master plan implementation at the World Heritage site. The inspection will cover Hampi and nearby heritage areas, including Anegundi and Anjanadri, focusing on compliance with World Heritage Site guidelines. The district administration has prepared for the visit, which will examine historic monuments, temples, ancient remains, encroachment control, and the impact of tourism and infrastructure development.
The review will also evaluate progress since the previous UNESCO team visited in 2009. Named experts for the inspection include George Abungu of Kenya, Ichita Shimoda of Japan, and Jahnavi Sharma, additional director-general for World Heritage Sites. The Group of Monuments at Hampi was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 as the remains of the Vijayanagara Empire capital, with main development dating from the 14th to 16th centuries.
The property spans 4,187.24 hectares in the Tungabhadra basin of central Karnataka and contains over 1,600 surviving remains, including forts, royal and sacred complexes, temples, pillared halls, gateways, stables, and water structures. Although the site was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1999 and removed in 2006, management remains a joint effort involving the Archaeological Survey of India, the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority, and other government bodies. The upcoming visit will determine if current development aligns with the site’s historical and architectural significance.