Gwalior Fort, Hill fortress in Gwalior, India.
Gwalior Fort is a hill fortress in Gwalior, India, built on a sandstone plateau that stretches for three kilometers and contains palaces, temples, and defensive structures. The complex rises one hundred meters (328 feet) above the plain and offers views over the city and surrounding countryside.
A ruler named Suraj Sen founded the structure in 525 after a holy man is said to have cured him of leprosy. Different dynasties added more buildings over the centuries, including the Man Singh Palace toward the end of the fifteenth century.
The name comes from a hermit named Gwalipa who is said to have meditated here in the eighth century. Local musicians sometimes perform in the courtyards, honoring the tradition of Tansen, the famous singer from the sixteenth century who lived in this city.
The climb to the plateau passes through the eastern gate and four more successive gates. A museum near the main entrance displays finds from the region and helps understand the history of the complex.
The outer walls bear rock-cut figures from Jainism that can reach over twenty meters (66 feet) in height. An inscription in one of the temples shows one of the earliest known uses of the number zero in a mathematical context.
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