Jaisalmer Fort

The Jaisalmer Fort stands as one of the most magnificent forts in the city of Jaisalmer, also claims to be the second oldest fort in the Indian state of Rajasthan after Chittorgarh Fort. The fort shares its name with the very city where it stands and is also known as the ‘Sonar Quilla’, also the Golden Fort. This mmajestic fort was constructed by the Bhatti Rajput chieftain Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD. Thew fort has been erected on the highest point of the Tricuta Hill.

The fort hold a historical reverence and one of the remarkable feature of the fort is that it is created out of yellow sandstone in the midst of the gold sand dunes giving an appearance of a rising sun and especially during the day time it looks like a blazing gold. This is the reason for being is called with a name of the Golden Fort.

The fort stands on an 80 m tall sandstone hill. The fort ranges a height of about 250 ft and is fortified by 99 frightening castled sandstone bastions. The fort also comprises wells in its precincts and since the construction of these wells; these have been serving as a source of water supply to the fort.

The fort stands about 30 m above the city of Jaisalmer and about one fourth of the population of Jaisalmer lives within the huge ramparts of the fort, which can be reached through Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoot Pol and Hawa Pol.

The fort is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the city of Jaisalmer and also houses the palaces of Bhatti Maharawals, which lies just opposite to the Chauhata Square. The fort also has a unique hoisted gadget, which is used to predict the weather, and during the month of April, a signboard is positioned at the center and the wafting of this signboard predicts the weather of the region.

There are many other attractions in the region such as a five-storey Buddhist temple with curved roofs, this pagoda is decorated with exquisite architecture and also has Bengali style roofs.