Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India

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Chittorgarh Fort

At 13 kilometres in circumference, the Chittorgarh Fort is one of the largest forts in India, a nation famed for its ancient and medieval fortresses. There are seven massive gates from which to enter, and once inside you’ll find four palaces and 19 temples. At one time there were almost 100 bodies of water, most of them ponds from natural catchment and rainfall, although now there are only 20.

Chittorgarh (also known as Chittor Fort) is so old, no one is sure exactly when it was built, although reports of its earliest capture go back to the 8th century. It is one of a cluster of six large forts in the northwestern state of Rajasthan referred to as the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, all of them collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. While India as we know it is still a very young nation, the Chittor Fort reminds us that the land and people that created modern India have endured and thrived for millennia.