Vijayarama Raju-I laid the foundation of Vizianagaram Fort in 1713 AD on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dashmi. The Victory Arch was the main entrance to Vizianagaram Fort prior to the construction of Nagaar Khana. It has a temple of Lord Hanuman on one side and Goddess Lakshmi on the other. The goddess is also known as Kota Shakti or the guardian of the fortress. The Raja of Vizianagaram would seek the blessings of the Goddess before embarking on a military expedition. The main entrance to the fort is through the East Gate. Nagaar Khana is located on top of this gate. Nagaara is an Indian percussion instrument. A literal translation of Nagaar Khana would mean Drum Room. It was used to draw the peoples attention to promulgating royal edicts. The drummer also used the Nagaara to announce and warn the prisoners of the arrival of royal guests. The West Gate is the back entrance of Vizianagaram Fort. This gate is built in Rajasthani style and has a viewing pavilion on top. It connects the fortress with the Pedda Cheruvu and with the royal tombs. According to Hindu customs and traditions, the deceased may only be taken to the back door of the household for cremation. The West Gate with the royal tombs nearby served this purpose. The fort was surrounded by a moat. The area between the western wall and the moat has been transformed by the current administration into a beautiful park with well-landscaped gardens and lush green lawns.
It was formed on June 1, 1979, with some parts carved out from the neighboring Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam districts. The district is named after the principality of Vizianagaram (Vijaya means victory and Nagaram means city in Telugu). It is the least densely populated district in Andhra Pradesh. Vizianagaram takes its name from the Vijayanagar Empire, a powerful Hindu empire that successfully resisted Muslim expansion in South India in the 14th and 15th centuries. Founded in 1712, the city was the headquarters of the rajas of Vizianagaram, who played a notable role in Andhra Pradeshs history in the 18th century and were patrons of education and fine arts. Their fort (1714) is about a mile east of the train station. Vizianagaram is a railway junction and shipping center for sunn hemp (a substitute for jute) and jute products. Manganese is mined nearby. The city has several colleges. The area is also easily accessible via roads. Pop. (2001) 174,651; (2011) 228,025.
