Description:
One of the oldest forts of Karnataka, the Belgaum Fort, is a fine amalgm of a long history and great cultures. The original structure was made of stone and mud built by Jai Raja ally of the Ratta Dynasty in the 13th century. It was modified many a times later, primarily by Yakub Ali Khan of the Bijapur Sultanate; who rebuilt this fortress surrounded by a deep moat huge walls, bastions, battlements and parapets. The fort shows the influence of the rulers it was governed by, right from the Rattas, the Vijayanagar emperors, Bijapur Sultans, Marathas and finally the British. During the freedom movemnet of India, Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned here.
Inside the fort are temples and mosques built during various periods of various rulers. The remarkable thing is that no ruler tried to demolish the worshipping place of the previous one. The beautiful domes and stairways, the intricately carved arches and window panes along with ancient scriptures on the pillars written in Kannada script or the devanagari script only show the ancient heritage of this beautiful monument.
