Visakhapatnam's history began in the 6th century BCE, when it was considered part of the Kalinga Kingdom, and later ruled by the Vengi, the Pallava and Eastern Ganga dynasties.[23] Visakhapatnam was an ancient Port city which had trade relations with the Middle East and Rome. Ships were anchored at open roads and were loaded with cargo transported from Visakhapatnam shore by means of small Masula boats. A reference to Vizagapatam merchant is available in the inscriptions of Sri Bheemeswara Swamy temple (1068 AD), East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh. During 12th century AD, Vizagapatam was a fortified merchandize town managed by a guild.[24] The city's control was alternating between the Chola dynasty and the Gajapati Kingdom in 11th and 12th centuries,[25][26] until its conquest by the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century.[23]

In the 16th century, after the decline of the Vijayanagara empire and the Gajapatis, the coastal region of North Andhra, including Visakhapatnam, was annexed by the Jeypore Kingdom and remained part of it until the arrival of the British in 1711.[27] Evidently, the Maharaja of Jeypore was commonly referred to as the Maharaja of Visakhapatnam until the dissolution of the princely state in 1947.[28] European powers eventually established trade operations in the city, and by the end of the 18th century it had come under French colonial rule.[25][26] Control passed to the East India Company in 1804 and it remained under British colonial rule until Indian independence in 1947.

The city is home to some reputed Central and State 33]