Salimgarh Fort

Salimgarh Fort
Part of Delhi
New Delhi, India
Entry Gate to Salimgarh Fort from the Yamuna River side
Entrance Gate to Salimgarh Fort
View of Bahadur Shah Gate at head of Arched bridge linking Salimgarh Fort and Red Fort
Salimgarh Fort is located in India
Salimgarh Fort
Salimgarh Fort
Coordinates28°39′40″N 77°14′24″E / 28.661°N 77.240°E / 28.661; 77.240
TypeFort and Prison
Site information
OwnerGovernment of India
Controlled by Sur Empire (1546–1555)
 Mughal Empire (1555–1857)
 United Kingdom  India (1947–)
Open to
the public
Yes
ConditionUNESCO World Heritage Site in Red Fort Complex
Site history
Built1546 AD
Built byIslam Shah Suri of the Sur dynasty
MaterialsStones and Bricks
Battles/warsSuri dynasty siege of Delhi & British War against Indian Rebellion of 1857
Garrison information
OccupantsMuseum as Swatantrata Senani Smarak

Salimgarh Fort (Salim's Fort) was built in 1546 AD, in Delhi, in a former island of the Yamuna River, by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri. There was a pause in Mughal rule when in 1540 AD Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun (and ousted him from Delhi) and established the Sur Empire rule in Delhi. Sur dynasty rule lasted till 1555 AD when Humayun regained his kingdom by defeating Sikander Suri, the last ruler of the dynasty. During the Mughal period, in later years, while building the Red Fort and Shahjahanbad, several Mughal rulers reigned, including Emperor Shahjahan, who is credited with completing Shahjahanabad in 1639 AD had camped at the fort. It is said that Humayun had camped at the fort for three days before launching his successful attack for recapturing Delhi.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, converted the fort into a prison, which practice was perpetuated by the British who took control of the fort in 1857. The fort is part of the Red Fort Complex. The complex was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, which obligates the Archaeological Survey of India (ASl) to ensure well-planned conservation measures for the heritage monuments.[1][7]

  1. ^ a b "Press Release on Inscription of the Red Fort in the World Heritage List −2007" (PDF). Archaeological Survey of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  2. ^ Fanshawe. H.C (1998). Delhi, Past and Present. Asian Educational Services. pp. 1 to 3. ISBN 978-81-206-1318-8. Retrieved 28 May 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Shiri Ram Bakshi; et al. (1995). Delhi Through Ages. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. p. 213. ISBN 978-81-7488-138-0. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Y.D.Sharma (2001). Delhi and its Neighbourhood. New Delhi: Archaeological Survey of India. pp. 148–149. Archived from the original on 31 August 2005. Retrieved 31 May 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Lucy Peck (2005). Delhi – A thousand years of Building. New Delhi: Roli Books Pvt Ltd. pp. 135, 181, & 241. ISBN 81-7436-354-8. Retrieved 31 May 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  6. ^ "Commonwealth Games-2010, Conservation, Restoration and Upgradation of Public Amenities at Protected Monuments" (PDF). Red Fort & Salimgarh Fort. Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi Circle. 2006. pp. 37–38 & 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  7. ^ Patrick Horton; Richard Plunkett; Hugh Finlay (2002). Delhi. Lonely Planet. p. 93. ISBN 978-1-86450-297-8. Retrieved 28 May 2009. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)