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Raigad Fort

Raigad Fort

heritage site · Maharashtra

State
Maharashtra
Type
Heritage Site

Raigad is a hill fort in Mahad, Raigad district, Maharashtra, in the Sahyadri (Western Ghats) mountain range, rising 820 metres above its base and 1,356 m above sea level. It is famous as the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maratha kingdom and the site of his formal coronation, and today contains palace ruins, queen's quarters, and watchtowers.

Raigad Fort is known for

Shivaji's coronation siteMaratha capitalHiroji Indulkar architectureUNESCO Maratha Military Landscapes siteaerial ropeway

A short history

The fort as it now stands was built for Shivaji Maharaj between 1656 and 1674 under the supervision of architect Sardar Hiroji Indulkar. Shivaji was formally crowned Chhatrapati at Raigad on 6 June 1674, after which he declared it the capital of his kingdom. His son Sambhaji was crowned there on 16 January 1681, and grandson Rajaram on 11 March 1689. The Mughal Empire held the fort from 1689 to 1739, after which the Marathas regained control until 1818. The British East India Company then held it from 1818 until Indian independence in 1947. In 2025 Raigad was inscribed, as one of twelve component forts, in UNESCO's "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" World Heritage Site. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raigad_Fort; Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maratha_Military_Landscapes_of_India]

Why Raigad Fort matters

As the site of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation and capital, Raigad is one of the most revered sites in Maratha and Indian history, and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognizing Maratha military architecture.

When to go

October to February

Why visit

The coronation seat of Shivaji Maharaj and the most sacred site of Maratha history, with a ropeway to the top.

How to reach

Visitors can trek approximately 1,737 steps (about one hour) up to the fort, or take the Raigad Ropeway, an aerial tramway built in 1996 that takes about four minutes. The fort is near Mahad in Raigad district, Maharashtra.

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