Situated in the historic city of Bellary, the fort was built in two parts, namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort. The upper part was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijayanagara Empire while the lower part was built by Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore.

The fort has fine ramparts with several historical and religious monuments. The upper fort has a citadel with several ancient tanks while the lower fort housed the arsenal.