Information on Visapur Fort (Lonavala, Pune, Maharashtra) - History & Architecture

Visapur Fort is magnificent hill fortress in the Lonavala hill stations. It is a panoramic place to visit. It has stood a watch tower in the Maratha Empire. This is a 304 years old stone structure located in Vispur Village, Lonavala Town, Pune District of Maharashtra State in India. The historical significance as well as the architectural specialty of the Visapur Fort is worth to explore and learn as the fort has immense historical significance as well as architectural brilliance.

Visapur Fort Architecture

Visapur Fort is a medieval fort architectural marvel. It is built in two phases in the Lohagad and Visapur hill stretches. This fortification was built here for the residential use and as a watch tower to look out in these valleys. This fort is built at a height of 1066 meters and 1219 meters above the mean sea level in Lonavala. These forts occupy the major plain plateaus found on these hill tops. This is completely a stone structure, built of granite stones. Its fortifications are very strong and thick, even now it is in good conditions. There are many bastions found in these walls. It has got a huge main entrance to this fort. There are very good stone carved steps build here to reach its top of this hill. The unique features found here is the pattern of Hanuman, a Hindu god known for strengths. His idols and stone art work is found everywhere in this hills. It is known as the Hanuman Temples of this fort. A deep well is also found here and are believed to be built in the Vedic times by the Pandava's. There are many caves found here. These were believed to be the meditation place for the Buddhist monk and later became a residence to the tribal villagers. The fort complexes are found with a main palace, this was the residential house for the kings. There is an administrative office building found here. There are other ruined small structures are scattered all around this fort. This fort has got a huge British cannon. Its length is 10 feet and said to be more powerful in blasting. These cannon is known to be stolen from a British ship by the Peshwas and placed in this fort for its use. There are many cistern found here these are mostly pits dug on a monolith stones. Theses water cistern looks very beautiful in the monsoon as it's over flows naturally as a spring.

Visapur Fort History

Visapur Fort was built by the Peshwa ruler Balaji Vishwanath in the year 1713 AD. The Peshwas were the minor clans of the sub divided Maratha Empire. They were very knee in controlling their territory and this fortification was built as a watch tower to lookout on the Lohadwadi and Visapu Villages. This fort was the commanding area for Balaji Vishwanath. This for were used by them from 1713 AD to 1818 AD. It is believed that most of the Maratha's treasures were kept here and the British had an eye on it. There were several failure attempts made by them to get these treasures. But this fort stood as a great barrier and its steep p slopes never made them to enter inside this fort. In 1818 AD the British East India Company brought many cannon and stared firing on the both the forts. The Peshwas were found irresistible by the cannon balls and fled away from these forts. Since, than to the independence of India it was under the British India rule. Now it's a famous hill station and a trekking place.

Visapur Fort Tourism Significance

Visapur Fort is a giant stone structure worth to see in the Lonavala hills. The beauty of the Shyadri Mountain ranges can be seen from here. This is a protected monument by the Indian government and a heritage tourist place in Lonavala. It is a wonderful fort to visit in Lonavala hills, which offer the visitors not just to enjoy the historical significance or to see the structure that stands tall with same pride and honour for centuries. Once would surely relish the time here and appreciate the brilliance of the architecture that was built with the technology of that era.