KANGRA FORT Location : Kangra Valley Built In : 1466 AD Popular As : Oldest Fort of Himachal Pradesh When To Visit : March to October

Most Famous Fort of Himachal - Kangra Fort

Monuments

Kangra Fort in Himachal Pradesh – The Oldest and the Boldest

Travel to Himachal Pradesh to see the most important monument of the state – Kangra Fort. Built at the confluence of Banganga and Manjhi streams, this fort has confronted various plunders as well as natural onslaughts. Kangra fort is located at a convenient distance of 17 kms from Dharamshala. Enjoy a vacation in Himachal Pradesh and take an exclusive tour to the Kangra fort that is the oldest and the largest historical remains in Himachal Pradesh as well as India.

Believed to be belonging to the 1009 AD, this fort was built by the royal family of Kangra. The fort is pedestaled on a steep rock in Purana Kangra (translates to Old Kangra), which dominating the surrounding valley. The Kangra fort has seen several invasions over a vast period of time. It saw its rulers in the Kashmiris as well as the British.

The Architecture of the Magnanimous Fort

Take a holiday trip to Himachal Pradesh in India to see the famous Kangra Fort in Himachal Pradesh, which is a fusion of ancient and medieval form of architecture. Spreading over a large area, this fort is conspicuous because of its huge walls and black stones that were incorporated to build the outer walls. You should see the huge gate that bears the name of all the kings that had ruled this fort at any point in history.

Famous Darwaza of Himachal Pradesh

Components That Add to the Audacity of the Kangra Fort

Enjoy a vacation in Himachal Pradesh and see the famous Kangra fort attractions that draws huge tourist participation every year. Go inside the fort complex to see various monuments like temples, museums and palaces, that serve as the major attractions of the Kangra fort.

The Welcoming Gateways

The huge 'Darwazas'of the famous Kangra fort are perhaps the most eye catching feature of the fort, thus making them the famous fort attractions of Himachal Pradesh India. A walk through the various gateways is like a transition form one period to the other. Begin your fort journey from the Ranjit Singh Darwaza, which is winged from both sides by a 4 kms long outer circuit. Get on the steps that will take you through the halfway Ahni and Amiri gates. Then comes the Jahangiri gate from where you have to travel a path of rocky ground to reach the Andheri Darwaza. Notice a camouflaged mosque that was built by Jehangir. Further you will find ramparts of a step well and other dilapidated remains. The best gate among all is the Darshani Darwaza, which is the oldest standing structure and opens up to a spacious stone – paved courtyard.

Temples Depicting Holiness in Kangra Fort

A little distant from the Darshini gate is the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir and Shaitala Mandir. These temple are architecturally famous and you cannot miss seeing them. Another temple that you should not miss is the Ambika Devi Temple.

The temple attractions of Kangra fort is not confined only to Hindu temples. One can also find the presence of Jain temples. While on a tour to Kangra fort, go south of the Ambika Devi temple to find two Jain shrines, that today are in desperate need of reparation. You should visit this Jain temple to see the stone image of Adinath.

The Exotic Palaces and Mahals

On your vacation to Himachal Pradesh, visit the famous Kangra fort in Himachal Pradesh to see the mirror palace. This palace lies in the upper level front of the fort where you can also find a watch tower. This watch tower too has historical significance. Get on top an enjoy the view of the area from this tower is amazing and one should definitely take a chance to bask it.

Reaching the Ramparts of Kangra Fort

Lying in the heart of the Kangra valley, Kangra fort is easily accessible from the main town of Kangra which is 6 kms away, Dharamshala (17 kms) and McLeodganj ( 27 km). Take up tours of Himachal Pradesh to visit the Kangra fort which is well connected by private taxis and state transport buses.