Located on Lonavala hill in Maharashtra, India, Lohagad Fort is one of the best examples of hill forts of the Maratha Empire. This 16th-century fort mostly served as a storage for the treasury as well as a prison for the war captives. Apart from Marathas, the fort was also occupied by several other dynasties namely Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas, Bahamanis, Nizamshahis, and Mughals. The fort has numerous well-preserved attraction sites including four large gates, a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, several water tanks as well as caves on the fort’s south side.
Among numerous forts in Maharashtra, Lohagad Fort is the only fort that could survive until today.
This massive fort is around 1500 meters in length and 30 meters in width and rises to an elevation of 1,033 m (3,400 ft) above sea level. Its friendly environment enables an easy and pleasant trekking experience. Due to its vast area, the Lohagad Fort has four gates namely Ganesh Darwaja, Narayan Darwaja, Hanuma Darwaja, and Maha Darwaja. These four gates are still intact today, and one can especially enjoy the finely carved sculptures on the Maha Darwaja. There is also a small temple of a Muslim Pir also known as a Sufi master on the fort.
