Balapur Fort

Balapur, Akola district, Maharashtra, India

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Balapur Fort is a Mughal-era fortress situated in Balapur town in Akola district, Maharashtra.

Construction began in 1721 under Mirza Azam Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb, and was completed in 1757 by Ismail Khan, the Nawab of Ellichpur. Built on a high ground between the Man and Mhais rivers, the fort features lofty walls and multiple bastions with thick ramparts pierced by missile slits.

It has three gateways, with the outer fort forming a decagon and the inner fort a pentagon, each corner featuring bastions. The fort houses three wells, a mosque, and the Bala Devi temple, which gave the town its name. Despite having suffered major flood damage over a century ago, the fort has been repaired and remains in good condition, with parts currently used as government offices.

Historically, it played a strategic role in regional military and political events during the Mughal period.