Junagarh Fort

The fascinating Junagarh fort was constructed by Raja Rai Singh, between 1588 -1593 AD. He was the sixth ruler of Binaker who ruled here from 1571 to 1611 AD. The supervision of the construction of the fort complex was done by Karan Chand, Raja Rai Singh’s Prime Minister. The construction of Junagarh fort had started on 30th January 1589 and was completed on 17th February in the same year.

Bounded by a moat, Junagarh fort has an intimidating structure. The palace complex houses some wonderful structures in its boundaries. Palaces in marble and red sandstone make up for a wonderful collection of kiosks, windows, balconies and courtyards that look stunning. Junagarh fort complex has two entrance and has a total of 986 long walls that have 37 bastions. There are a total of 37 palaces, along with a number of pavilions and temples. One of the highlights of the architecture of Junagarh fort is its stone carving with an excellent quality. Number of rooms of the palace have paintings and decorations that were done in traditional style.  Suraj Pol and Daulat Pol are two main gates of the fort. Suraj Pol or the sun gate was east facing and was the main gate of the fort complex. The historical Daulat Pol has the handprints of the royal ladies who had committed sati along with the pyres of their deceased husbands, at the Sati Stambh. Chand Pol, Karan Pol and Fatech Pol were the other inner gates. The Zenana or the latest quarters are extremely lavish and are a display of unique artistic skill. While they royal ladies were an integral part of the household, they were not really a part of the matters of the state. They used carved stone screens for interaction with others. These screens can be seen displayed here. Do not miss noticing the mirror work, paintings, and lacquer work. The minarets, columns, arches and pavilions are gigantic and imposing.