Rohtas Fort

The Rohtas Fort is a 16th-century stronghold near the city of Jhelum in Pakistan's Punjab province. The fort is one of the largest and most powerful on the Indian subcontinent. Rohtas Fort was never seized by force and has survived in remarkable condition.

Raja Todar Mal erected the fortification on Sher Shah Suri's orders. The fort is notable for its massive defensive walls and a number of colossal gates. In 1997, UNESCO designated Rohtas Fort as an "exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia".

The fort is located around eight kilometers south of the Grand Trunk Road. It is located around 16 kilometers northwest of Jhelum, near the city of Dina. It is around 3 kilometers from Khukha. The medieval Shahrah-e-Azam road previously ran along the fort's outer northern wall.

The Tilla Jogian Range's Rohtas Fort was built on a hill overlooking a canyon where the Kahan River meets a seasonal stream called Parnal Khas. The fort towers over its surroundings by about 300 feet (91 meters). It stands 2,660 feet (810 meters) above sea level and spans 70 hectares.

Rohtas Fort encompasses 70 hectares and is surrounded by four kilometers of walls fortified by 68 bastion towers and twelve gates. The fort is an irregularly formed triangle that follows the slopes of the hill on which it was built. A 533-meter (1,749-foot) wall separates the northwest corner of the fort from the rest of the fort. The enclosed area was more highly guarded and used as a stronghold for elites. Much of the fort's prominent features are contained within the enclosed area. The Langar Khani entrance of the fort enters into the citadel, however, it is essentially a trap in a direct line of fire from the fort's bastions.

The massive fort could house 30,000 troops. It could have withstood a huge siege due to its location, thick walls, trap gates, and three stepwells, but it was never ever besieged. The only palace in the fort is the Raja Man Singh Haveli, which is located on the citadel's highest point. The fort covers an area of 3200 canals.

Sher Shah Suri, the founder of the Sur Empire, commissioned the construction of the fort. Its purpose was to thwart the ambitions of Mughal emperor Humayun, who had been exiled to Persia following his defeat at the Battle of Kannauj. The fort was built in a strategic location between the mountains of Afghanistan and the plains of Punjab to keep the Mughal emperor from coming to India.

Location: Rohtas City, Dina Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan