Padmadurg, Sea fort in Raigad district, India
Padmadurg is a sea fort built on an island near the Maharashtra coast, featuring six stone bastions and thick defensive walls that overlook the Arabian Sea. The structure shows a planned layout designed specifically for controlling maritime routes and defending against naval threats.
The fort was built in 1676 by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a maritime defense installation intended to control important sea routes. It served as an observation point to monitor activities in the surrounding waters and protect merchant vessels.
The fort exemplifies the architectural methods of Maratha military engineering, with its systematic layout integrating local construction techniques and maritime defense requirements.
Access to the island is possible only by boat from the mainland, so plan your transportation ahead of time. You will also need official permission from authorities before entering the fort complex.
Excavations in 2012 uncovered around 250 historical cannonballs scattered throughout the fort, indicating fierce naval combat once took place here. These discoveries reveal the intensity of armed conflicts the site experienced in earlier centuries.
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