Raigarh fort

Raigad Fort, celebrated for its exemplary Maratha architectural style and strategic, defensible position within Maharashtra's rugged Sahyadri range, is one of 12 forts nominated this year for UNESCO World Heritage status.

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Context

Raigad Fort, celebrated for its exemplary Maratha architectural style and strategic, defensible position within Maharashtra’s rugged Sahyadri range, is one of 12 forts nominated this year for UNESCO World Heritage status.

About Raigarh Fort

It is located in Maharashtra’s Sahyadri mountain range.
Raigad was known as “Rairi” before Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured it from the More dynasty in 1656.
It became the capital of the Maratha Empire in 1674.
It served as a military bastion, administrative and cultural centre of the empire.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned the first king of the Maratha Empire on June 6, 1674 at Raigad fort.
The fort has also earned the title Durgaraj, or “King of Forts,” and British historian Grant Duff called it the “Gibraltar of the East” due to its strategic design and imposing location.

India’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2024-25

● India has nominated Maratha Military Landscapes of India which developed between the 17th and 19th centuries. It comprises 12 Forts.

● Salher fort, Shivneri fort, Lohagad, Khanderi fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay durg, Sindhudurg in Maharashtra and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.

● As of September 2024, there are 43 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. Of these, 35 are cultural, 7 are natural, and 1 is of mixed heritage.