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Shivneri Fort

Shivneri Fort

heritage site · Maharashtra

Shivneri Fort stands on a rugged hill near Junnar in Pune district, Maharashtra, with a triangular shape, seven defended gates, and mud walls spanning about a mile.

State
Maharashtra
Type
Heritage Site

Shivneri Fort stands on a rugged hill near Junnar in Pune district, Maharashtra, with a triangular shape, seven defended gates, and mud walls spanning about a mile. It is celebrated as the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Shivneri Fort is known for

Shivaji Maharaj's birthplacetriangular hill fortseven-gated fortificationUNESCO Maratha Military Landscapes siteMaloji Bhosale legacy

A short history

The fort was originally held by the Yadavas of Devagiri, later passed to the Bahmani Sultanate in the 15th century, and then to the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in the 16th century. In 1595, Maloji Bhosale, Shivaji's grandfather, received the fort from Ahmadnagar Sultan Bahadur Nizam Shah. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born at the fort on 19 February 1630. In 1673 an English traveler recorded that the fort was well-stocked to feed a thousand families for seven years. Following the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the fort came under British control in 1819. In 2025, Shivneri was inscribed as one of twelve component forts of the "Maratha Military Landscapes of India" UNESCO World Heritage Site. [Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivneri; Source: pune.gov.in/en/tourist-place/shivneri]

Why Shivneri Fort matters

As the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shivneri is one of the most significant heritage sites for Maratha history in India, and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When to go

October to March

Why visit

Stand in the room where Shivaji Maharaj was born, inside a fort guarded by seven gates.

How to reach

The fort is near Junnar town in Pune district, about 90 km from Pune, which is well connected by road; the fort itself sits about 2-3 km from Junnar town.

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