[2][3][4] The fort was built in stages between the 11th and 13th centuries by the dynastic rulers of the region, including the Chalukyas and Hoysalas, later the Nayakas of Chitradurga of the Vijayanagar Empire.

[5] The fort is built in a series of seven concentric fortification walls with various passages, a citadel, masjid, warehouses for grains and oil, water reservoirs and ancient temples.

Features of massive rock hills and scenic valleys, huge towering boulders are seen in the fort precincts.

The hills on which the major part of the fort and the city rest belong to the oldest rock of granitic formation in the country.

The highest hill peak of the area is located at Jogi Matti, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to the south of Chitradurga.

These inscriptions traces the history of the fort to the Ashokan period rock edicts found near Brahmagiri also link Chitradurga to the Mauryan Empire during the reign of the royal dynasties of Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas and Hoysalas.

However, the area where the fort now exists achieved prominence only under the dynastic rule of the Nayakas of Chitradurga or "Paleygars" (called "little kings") as a feudatory of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Vijayanagar rulers brought the Nayakas, the traditional local chieftains of the area, under their control as their feudatory until their dynastic reign ended in 1565 A.D.

Still, he was soon elevated to the rank of Governor of Chitradurga by the Vijayanagar ruler in recognition of his excellent military service to the empire.

The British considered Chitradurga Fort a potentially useful base for providing a strong line of defense to Mysore's northern border.

The storage warehouses, pits, and reservoirs were primarily designed to ensure the food, water and military supplies required to endure a long siege.

Depending on the topography and the geological strata of the land, the fort walls were built with the height ranging from 5–13 metres (16–43 ft).

An outstanding feature noticed in several stretches of the fort walls is that no cementing material was used in joining the large granite cubes that have been neatly sized, cut, trimmed and placed in position.

[4] Subsequent additions to the forts were built with burnt bricks, set in mortar, plastered by a thin layer of cement or lime, and painted.

[10] Some of the well-known temples were the Hidimbeswara (an ancient legend is linked to it), Sampige Siddeshwara, Ekanathamma, Phalguneshwara, Gopala Krishna, Lord Hanuman, Subbaraya and Nandi.

Hidimbi, who fell in love with Bhima (the second of the Pandava brothers of Mahabharata), married him and had a child named Ghatotkacha.

[citation needed] The Murugarajendra Matha, a famous religious institution of the Lingayats, which was originally located within the fort, is now situated about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the northwest of Chitradurga.

[14] Historical linkage has been established by an archeological inscription dated 1284 AD found in the Panchalinga (Five Lingas) cave in the Ankhi Matha area, to the west of Chitradurga.

At Ankhi Matha, approached by stone steps, a series of ancient subterranean chambers cut out at different levels are seen, in addition to several places of worship and platforms.

[citation needed] In the lower fort, a Cutcherry (administrative office) was added during Tippu Sultan's rule.

[citation needed] In Kannada language, it is called 'Maddu Bisuva Kallu,' which means "gunpowder grinding stone."

[citation needed] Several Kannada language feature films have been produced, keeping the historicity of this fort in view.

Nagara Havu (Cobra) and Hamse Geete (Swan Song) are the most famous films produced in the locale of the fort.