It is said that forts are the glory of Maharashtra. Most of these forts are associated with the great Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is believed that he developed as many as thirteen forts.

Vijaydurg fort is regarded to be the best sea fort developed by Shivaji. Every fort has temple inside that was a powerful inspiration to the Maratha fighters. 510 km away from Mumbai is the famous Sindhudurg and Vijaydurg forts. This twin fort was constructed with the special guidelines from Shivaji. This fort is famous for its serene environmental beauty and its historic importance.

Shivner fort is the fort where Shivaji was born. This fort is nearly about 120 km from Pune. Pratapgad fort reminds the fiery battle fought between Shivaji and Afzal Khan. One must see the 300-year old fine architectural fort of Murud - Janjira fort, Lohagad and Visapur Forts, Harishchandragad Fort, Arnala Fort and Ajinkyatara Fort are ideal for trekking. Adventure lovers must visit these forts.

Ahmadnagar Fort, which was built in 1490 AD, is located 1 km away east of Ahmadnagar city in Maharashtra. This 500-year old fort is circular in shape and has 18m high wall reinforced with 22 bastions. To keep enemy at bay, a deep trench was dug that surrounded the fort.
Ahmadnagar is in the central Maharashtra, which is close to most of the major cities in Maharashtra. Pune is 120 km away from here, while Mumbai is at a distance of 300 km. Its good location makes Ahmadnagar easy to reach both by road and by train. Good hotels are available in Ahmadnagar.

Ajinkyatra Fort is in Satara, Maharashtra. The fort is located at Ajinkyatara Mountain, which is 3,300 feet high. As the fort is in the higher altitude, visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of the entire Satara city. There are number of water tanks inside the fort for storing water. So, there is no scarcity of water even as the fort is in the higher place. Viewing the Ajinkyatara Fort from far Yawateshwar hill too is so nice. Main attractions of this place are hiking, trekking and mountaineering.

Anara Fort is located at Arnala Islands, which is at a distance of 8 miles north of Vasai in Maharashtra. As it is surrounded on all sides by water, Arnala Fort is also known as 'Jaldurg' or 'Janjire Arnala'. Anara Fort is mainly on the north side of Anara Island. The main entrance is on the northern side, while the fort has broad and strong high walls with three gates. Steps are made that lead to ramparts (walls), so one can take a walk around the entire boundary wall. To allow entry in the small rooms and storehouses below, the ramparts have number of small openings in its broad walls.

Bassein Fort is located at Vasai, about 55 km from Mumbai, Maharashtra. Bahadur Shah, Sultan of Gujarat, built the fort. The main gate of this large fort leads to a small courtyard; from here one can climb the ramparts to take a look at the old structures, which are now in ruined conditions. Bassein was ruled over by many rulers such as the Portuguese, the Marathas and finally the British and in the course of time Bassein became a flourishing shipbuilding centre and the famous Bassein stone was very much in demand.

Chakan Fort is located at Chakan near Pune in Maharashtra. The last Maratha-British war was fought in this fort. This fort was built keeping in mind that it might become a rare kind of fort in Maharashtra. The fort is in the ageing condition, which needs lots of maintenance. One can also visit Lord Vishnu Temple in Varah Avatar near the fort. 'Varah' means pig and is the third avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, which is seen very rarely in India.

Daulatabad Fort is located at a distance of 13 km from Aurangabad. This fort, which was once known as Devagiri, is a magnificent 12th century fortress standing atop a hill. Daulatabad, which is constructed with excellent architecture, is one of the few invincible forts in Maharashtra. Mohammed Bin Tughluq, the sultan of Delhi gave the name Daulatabad 'The city of fortune'. Series of trick defense and secret escapes routes are the famous features of this fort.

Gavilgad Fort is near Chikhaldara hill station in Amravati district, Maharashtra. It is believed that the fort is 300 years old. Some beautifully carved idols, which is believed to carve during the period of the Nizams, when Elichpur was their capital are worth to see. Elephants, bulls, tigers, lions and Hindi, Urdu and Arabic scripts comprise the carvings on the walls of the fort. Idols of Lord Hanuman and Lord Shankar are also seen in the fort. 10 cannons made of iron; copper and brass are also there inside the fort.

Click here to know more about Forts in Maharashtra