- Type
- Fortress
- Origins
- 1178 · 12th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Maharashtra, India
- Heritage
- part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site (an old town or a valley, for example)
- Coordinates
- 16.8089°, 74.1092°
History
The first fortress here was built in the late 12th century by Bhoja II of the Shilahara dynasty. The fort later belonged to the Yadavas, the Bahmani sultans and Bijapur, who extended the walls and added monumental gates and granaries. Shivaji took Panhala in 1659, and the following year Siddi Jauhar besieged him here; in July 1660 he slipped away by night to Vishalgad, while Baji Prabhu Deshpande held the pass behind him until his death. In the 18th century the fort was Tarabai's residence and the capital of the Kolhapur state, and in 1844 the British took it over. It was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2025.
What to see
Walls several kilometres long enclose a broad plateau that is now home to a small town and hill resort. Surviving landmarks include the triple gate of Teen Darwaza, the hidden Andhar Bavdi well, the three huge stone Ambarkhana granaries, the Sajja Kothi pavilion and Tarabai's palace, now used by offices and a school. The plateau's edge looks out over the valleys of the Western Ghats.
Wikipedia article Wikidata Q7131008
Popularity: articles about this site in 12 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).