Bhadra Fort, Monument of National Importance in Ahmedabad, India

Bhadra Fort is a fortified complex in central Ahmedabad designed with walls, towers, and decorative lattice work on its windows. The structure served originally as a defensive stronghold with multiple entrances and remains a recognizable architectural feature of the city today.

Ahmad Shah I founded Ahmedabad as the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate and laid the fort's foundation stone at Manek Burj in 1411, on the east bank of the Sabarmati. The square enclosure of about 43 acres held 162 houses and eight gates. By 1525 the interior was built over, so his grandson Mahmud Begada added an outer wall of 10 km with 12 gates and 189 bastions.

The fort's name is tied to two explanations: a plaque credits the ancient Rajput citadel at Anhilwada-Patan, while a temple to Bhadra Kali, a form of Laxmi, was installed in a room of Azam Khan Sarai during Maratha rule. That room holds a black four-armed statue of the goddess.

The site is publicly accessible and allows visitors to walk through and explore the architecture and inner temple. Some areas may be in active use for administrative purposes, so visitors should be prepared for ongoing activity in parts of the complex.

The fort's clock tower was brought from London in 1849 at a cost of 8,000 rupees and installed by the British East India Company in 1878 for 2,430 rupees. It was lit at night by a kerosene lamp behind its dial until 1915, when it was switched to electric light, making it Ahmedabad's first electrical connection. The clock stopped working in 1960.