Indo Islamic Heritage
Bhadra Fort, located in the walled city area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, is a historic fort built by Sultan Ahmad Shah I in 1411, the founder of Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad, the historic city in Gujarat, derives its name from Sultan Ahmad Shah I of the Muzaffarid dynasty, who established it as the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate. In 1411, Ahmad Shah laid the foundation stone of Ahmedabad at Manek Burj, a location on the east bank of the Sabarmati River. To fortify the city, he constructed the Bhadra Fort, which became a prominent symbol of his reign. The fort, often referred to as Arak Fort in historical texts like Mirat-i-Ahmadi, was square in shape and covered an area of approximately forty-three acres. Within its walls, the fort housed 162 houses and was equipped with eight gates: three large gates, including two in the east and one in the southwest corner; three medium-sized gates, two in the north and one in the south; and two smaller gates located in the west. By 1525, the urban population within the fort's confines had grown significantly, leading to the need for additional fortifications. Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmad Shah I, addressed this by constructing a second layer of defense around the city. This new fortification featured an outer wall with a circumference of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and included 12 gates, 189 bastions, and over 6,000 battlements, as detailed in Mirat-i-Ahmadi. These fortifications further cemented Ahmedabad's position as a stronghold of the Gujarat Sultanate. During the Mughal period, Ahmedabad flourished under the rule of nearly 60 governors, some of whom were notable figures like future emperors Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. One of the significant architectural additions during this time was the construction of a seraglio by Azam Khan, a Mughal governor in the 17th century. Known as the Azam Khan Sarai, this structure served as a Musafir Khana (resting place for travelers), highlighting Ahmedabad's importance as a hub for trade and cultural exchange during the Mughal era. These developments reflect the city's rich history and its transformation under successive dynasties.
Year of Built: 14th Century
Address: Court Rd, Old City, Bhadra, Ahmedabad, Gujarat , India
Country: India
State: Gujarat
District: Ahmedabad
Pincode: 380001
Longitude: 72.581111
Latitude: 23.023611,