Aurangabad has traces of settlements dating to the stone age and the remains of the cities of several dynasties. A distinct feature of the city is its facinating mix of cultures and the distinct Muslim aura which it still carries. In 1610, Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nigam Shah II, founded the city at the site of a village, Khirki. The city was re-named Fatehpur when Fateh Khan, son of Malik Ambar, succeeded to the throne in 1626. It was renamed Aurangabad in 1653 when Aurangzeb of the Mughal dynasty, became Viceroy of the Deccan.

The viharas (monasteries) and chaityas (chapels) that were excavated at Aurangabad, Ajanta and Ellora are the reminders of Buddhism that bloomed during the Chalukya period.