Located on a rather bald plateau in the northwest corner of the state, Belgaum was a regional capital of the Rattas who shifted to this place from Saundatti in the 12th and 13th centuries. Lying at the border of the States of Maharashtra and Goa, it is one of the oldest towns in the state. Originally known as Velugram (Bamboo Village), Belgaum City is a crossroad of cultures due to its peculiar geographical location. Nestling in the foothills of the enchanting Sahayadri Range, at an altitude of about 779m, 100km from the Arabian Sea with the River Markandeya flowing nearby, Belgaum is unique. Its natural beauty and environment are a world of contrast and harmonies with swift and kaleidoscopic change in topography, vegetation and climate. Its hinterland offers a rich resource mix attracting people as tourist, settlers, job-seekers & entrepreneurs, making it a veritable paradise or a "poor mans Switzerland".