Rohtas Fort Rohtas Pakistan History and Interesting Facts

Rohtas Fort Quick Facts

Rohtas Fort Overview

Rohtas Fort is located near the city of Jhelum in the Punjab province of Pakistan. This fort was built between 1541 AD to 1548 AD during the reign of Sher Shah Suri. Presently the fort is known for its large defensive walls and many monumental gates. Rohtas Fort was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 for being a fine example of the Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia.

Rohtas Fort History

The Rohtas Fort was built by Sher Shah Suri, the founder of the Sur Empire. The main reason for the construction of the fort was to suppress the Gakhar Tribes of the northern Potohar region of Punjab and to keep an eye on the advance actions of the Mughal Emperor Humayun as the people of the Gakhar tribe were allies of the Mughal rulers.

In 1555 AD, the fort was handed over to the Mughal emperor Humayun. After which the fort was rebuilt by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. But it did not become popular for the Mughal rulers due to its lack of large gardens and grand architecture.

In 1825, Sardar Gurmukh Singh Lamba of the Sikhs attacked the fort and established his authority. This fort was captured by them only for administrative purposes. After which it came under the British Government in 1849 AD.

Rohtas Fort Interesting Facts

1. Rohtas Fort belongs to Trianglekara, which is covered over a vast area of 70 hectares.
2. The Rohtas Fort was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. The original reason for declaring it a World Heritage Site by UNESCO was an outstanding form of Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia during the 16th century.
3. Rohtas Fort is surrounded by 4 km of walls, which has 68 fortified towers, 12 huge gates, and a massive 533 m long wall remains in the north-western part of the fort, this part is separated from the rest of the fort.
4. There are no palaces inside the fort except Raja Man Singh Haveli, which is built on the highest point of the citadel.
5. There are 12 monumental gates to enter the fort and one can follow the shape of the Ancient hill at these entrances all of them are built in ashlar stone.
6. The Sohail Gate was formally the main entrance to the fort and takes its name from a local saint named Sohail Bukhari, whose remains are in the south-western part of the fort. This entrance has rich motifs on the outer face with floral motifs.
7. The Shah Chandawali gate of the fort connects the main road to the fort. It is named after Shah Chandawali who refused to take his wages to work at this gate. The saint died in the course of work and was buried near the gate. His shrine still exists there today.
8. The Kabuli gate of the fort was named because of the opening towards the north-west in the general direction of Kabul. In the southern part of this gate is the Shahi Masjid, due to which many people also call Shahi Darwaza.
9. The Langar Khani gate of the fort is a gate with a central gate and small windows like the Sohail Gate in the outer arch. The passage of this gate leads to the Langar Khan (mess or canteen).
10. The Talaki gate located in the fort is associated with a rumor, according to local people, that when Prince Sabir Suri entered it during the construction, the prince suffered from fever and it proved fatal for him. Since then it was considered a bad omen and after which it was named "Talaki".
11. The Khawas Khani Gate located in the fort was named after the eldest general of Sher Shah Suri, Khawas Khan Marwat. This was the original entrance to the fort as the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) is located outside the gate. The gate consists of a room and the semicircular portion above the door has a motif of Sunflowers.
12. The royal mosque located in the fort has a prayer hall and a small courtyard. Its biggest feature is that its roof is in the shape of a dome which can be seen from the inside but no dome is visible in it when viewed from the outside.
13. There are three stepwells located in the fort which were made by cutting deep into the lime rock. These were used to water the horses.
14. The Rani Mahal located in the fort, also known as the Queen's Palace, is a one-floors structure originally consisting of four rooms and the interiors of all the rooms are beautifully decorated and the ceilings of the rooms are in the shape of a dome. Decorated with flowers, geometric patterns, and fake windows.
15. There is also a Gurdwara inside the fort which is located just outside the Chau Sahib Fort, near the Talaki Gate.
16. Rohtas Fort is a classic example of early Muslim military architecture in South Asia and the profound influence of this style is visible in the architectural styles in the Mughal Empire as well.
17. The fort is built with low-relief carvings. Built of marble, its calligraphic inscriptions in sandstone, stucco decorations and its glazed tiles represent the beauty of the fort.

How to reach Rohtas Fort

The Nearest Railway station to the fort is Dina railway station. It is situated at a distance of 10 km from the fort. From here it can be reached via "Rohtas Fort Road". Apart from this Jhelum railway station at a distance of 23.7 km from the fort and 18.1 km. Kala Gujran Railway Station is the nearest railway station to the fort at a distance. And both these railway stations are connected by Grand Trunk Road.