Rachol Fort

Overview

The Rachol Fort is a historical pre-Portuguese-era fort located in the village of Rachol. This fort is today little more than a ruin being swiftly reclaimed by nature. Little remains of its wonder and glory save an archway over the road leading to the Rachol seminary and a dried-up moat surrounding the hill upon which the seminary sits. Known more for the scenic beauty that surrounds it rather than any architectural merit, the fort nonetheless has a fascinating if bloodied history. This is a fort that predates the Portuguese invasion. It was in fact, built by the Bahamani Sultanate and fell into the hands of the Vijayanagar kings after a prolonged and bloodied battle. These kings later bartered with the Portuguese, exchanging the possession of the fort for help against the Sultanate of Bijapur. It is said that at the height of its power the fort held up to one hundred great cannons and guns, which would of course be how they managed to repel the powerful Maratha armies under the control of Sambhaji.

Highlights