sutikshan
Situated across diverse terrains—including hills, coasts, and islands—these forts exemplify the Marathas’ innovative defensive strategies and exceptional skill in adapting architecture to the natural environment, reflecting a deep understanding of geography, military tactics, and regional conditions.
Fort Included UNESCO World Heritage List
These include Salher, Shivneri, Lohagad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu. Spanning diverse geographical terrains, the forts reflect the Marathas’ military ingenuity and strategic mastery. In 2025, the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Salher Fort
Salher, located near Salher Village in Satana tehsil of Nashik district, Maharashtra, was historically known as Gavalgarh. It is home to the highest fort in the Sahyadri mountains and the second-highest peak in Maharashtra—rising to 1,567 metres (5,141 feet)—after Kalsubai, and ranks as the 32nd highest peak in the Western Ghats. Once an important stronghold of the Maratha Empire, Salher played a strategic role in their military network. Notably, the wealth seized during the raid on Surat was first brought here before being transported to the Maratha capital forts.
Shivneri Fort
Shivneri fort situated near Junnar in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. It is historically significant as the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire.
Lohgarh Fort
Lohagad, one of Maharashtra’s many hill forts, is located near the hill station of Lonavala, about 52 km northwest of Pune. Standing at an elevation of 1,033 m above sea level, it is linked to the neighboring Visapur Fort by a small ridge. For most of its history, Lohagad remained under the control of the Lohtamia Empire, except for a brief five-year period when it was held by the Mughals.
Khanderi Fort
Khanderi, officially known as Kanhoji Angre Island, is a fortified island situated south of Mumbai along the Maharashtra coast in India.
Raigad Fort
Raigad, located in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, India, is a hill fort situated near the city of Mahad. Once known as Rairee or Rairy Fort, it is regarded as one of the strongest fortresses on the Deccan Plateau.
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Rajgarh Fort
Rajgad, meaning “Ruling Fort,” is a hill fort located in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. Formerly known as Murumbdev, it served as the first capital of the Maratha Empire under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for nearly 26 years, before the capital was shifted to Raigad Fort. Treasures found in the nearby Torna Fort were used to construct and fortify Rajgad Fort.
Pratapgad Fort
Pratapgad is a mountain fort situated in Maharashtra’s Satara district, about 24 kilometers from the Mahabaleshwar hill station. Today, it serves as a popular tourist destination.
Suvarnadurg Fort
Suvarnadurg, meaning “Golden Fort” and sometimes spelled Severndroog, is a fort situated on a small island in the Arabian Sea near Harnai, along the Konkan coast between Mumbai and Goa in Maharashtra, India.
Panhala Fort
Panhala Fort, also called Panhalgad or Panhalla (meaning “the home of serpents”), is located in Panhala, about 20 kilometers northwest of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India. Strategically positioned overlooking a pass in the Sahyadri mountain range, it guarded a major trade route connecting Bijapur in Maharashtra’s interior to the coastal regions.
Vijaydurg Fort
Vijaydurg, sometimes spelled Viziadurg, is the oldest fort on the Sindhudurg coast. It was originally built between 1193 and 1205 during the reign of Raja Bhoja II of the Shilahara dynasty and later renovated by Shivaji.
Sindhudurg Fort
Sindhudurg Fort (Marathi pronunciation: [sin̪d̪ʱud̪uɾɡ]) is a historic sea fort located in the Arabian Sea near Maharashtra’s Konkan coast in western India. Commissioned by Chhatrapati Shivaji, it was built between 1664 and 1667. The fort is situated off the shore of Malvan taluka in Sindhudurg district, approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles) south of Mumbai. Today, it is a protected monument managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Gingee Fort
Gingee Fort, also known as Senji Fort (and historically referred to as Chenji, Chanchi, Jinji, or Senchi), is one of the best-preserved forts in Tamil Nadu, India. Often called the “Great Wall of South India,” it is located in Villupuram District, about 160 kilometres (99 miles) from Chennai and near the Union Territory of Puducherry. Renowned for its formidable defences, the fort was hailed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as the “most impregnable fortress in India” and earned the nickname “Troy of the East” from the British.
