Aligarh Fort, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh India

 Aligarh Fort one of the strongest forts in India, is located in the city of Aligarh (The city was earlier named as Kol or Koil), Uttar Pradesh. It is also called "Aligarh Qila". It is situated on the Grand Trunk road and consists of a regular polygon, surrounded by a very broad and deep ditch.

Aligarh Fort one of the strongest forts in India, is located in the city of Aligarh. It is also called "Aligarh Qila". It is situated on the Grand Trunk road and consists of a regular polygon, surrounded by a very broad and deep ditch. It was built during the time of Ibrahim Lodhi by Muhammad, son of Umar the governor of Kol, in 1524-25. Sabit Khan who was the governor of this region during the time of Farrukh Siyar and Muhammad Shah, further rebuilt the fort. It became a fortress of great importance under Madhavrao I Scindia in 1759, and was the depot where he drilled and organized his battalions in the European fashion with the aid of French soldier Benoît de Boigne. During the Battle of Ally Ghur, it was captured from the Marathas under the leadership of a French officer Perron by Lord Gerard Lake"s British army, in September 1803, since which time it has been much strengthened and improved. In the rebellion of 1857 the troops stationed at Aligarh mutinied, but abstained from murde.

Aligarh Fort is considered to be one of India’s strongest forts in the region. It was built in the 16th century by the son of the presiding governor in the court of Ibrahim Lodhi. Located on GT Road, the fort is shaped like a regular polygon and is surrounded on all sides by a very broad ditch.

Over the years, the fort was rebuilt several times to further expand and strengthen its boundaries. In the 18th century, under the rule of Madhavrao Scindia 1 it served as a prominent training centre for soldiers who were taught European war techniques. It was also the site for the 1857 revolt against the British rule. However, the troops abstained from murdering their officers.

The fort boasts of a mix of Indian and French style architecture. It is now under the control of the Aligarh Muslim University, more specifically, the Botany Department. The inner courtyard has a botanical garden and a variety of other plantations.