Location : Situated in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India

Distance : approximately 140 km from the city of Nasik

Built by : Husain Nizam Shah

Built in : 1559 AD

Ahmednagar Fort is considered to be one of the best designed and architected forts of Maharashtra. It is a massive structure and its splendour is studied in various forms of Indian history. As a matter of fact no Indian history is complete without the mentioning of the Ahmednagar Fort.

The speculations about this impregnable fort are seen to be true, to anyone who brushes through the History of this mighty and magnificent fort. The Ahmednagar Fort also happens to be one of the oldest forts to be built, for it was constructed long ago as 1559 AD, under the guidance, patronage and wishes of Husain Nizam Shah.

The Ahmednagar Fort is seen to be surrounded by a vast area of cantonment on all four sides of the huge fort walls. It is found to be on the eastern side of the city of Ahmednagar. The fort is oval in shape and has a circumference of about 1.70 km. The Ahmednagar Fort was well known for its defence systems, which comprised of 24 citadels surrounding it, along with a gigantic moat which is 30 meters wide in total and about 4 to 6 meters in its depth. The stone wall of the Ahmednagar Fort is known for its strength, at a total of 25 meters in height, the stone wall alone was enough to frighten its foe.

The fort can be entered via two entrances, which can be reached only after the person trying to reach it enters the fort through the moat, with the help of the suspension draw bridges that stand strong for the last 4 centuries. In spite of its age the fort still stands intact, with many of its artefacts and structures in full splendour.

The history of the Ahmednagar Fort is long and interesting; it has been the victim of numerous attacks and invasions over the years. The first to attack its massiveness was the Mughal army in 1596 that were laden with sour defeat, and had to order a retreat. The fort was later annexed by the Mughals in 1600, due to the valour of its forces led by Akbar. But later the control of the fort was lost in 1759, when they had to sell it to Sadhashiv Bhau, the third Peshwa’s cousin. Later Daulatrao Shinde lost the control of the great fort to General Welleslay in the year 1803. Ultimately, one day later, the Treaty of Pune was signed and the control of the Ahmednagar Fort was handed over to Bajirav Peshwa II. The history about the fort also tells us that this fort was also used as a royal prison more than once, due to its magnificence in security and structure. This includes the time where the entire Congress Working Committee members were detained at this fort during the onset of the Quit India Movement in 1942. The Ahmednagar Fort, thus, stands tall after all its endeavours, and is therefore stated as one of the must to visit locations for any one visiting Nashik.