Gopalgad Fort / Anjanvel Fort

Maharashtra, India

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Gopalgad Fort, also known as Anjanvel Fort, is a historic sea fort located in Anjanvel village near Guhagar in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra.

Built in the 16th century during the Adilshahi period, the fort was strategically situated at the mouth of the Vashishti River to protect the ancient port of Dabhol and oversee trade routes. Shivaji Maharaj captured the fort in 1660 and constructed a dockyard here for his navy, renaming it Gopalgad.

Later, it came under the control of Siddi Khairat Khan of Janjira in 1699, followed by Maratha warrior Tulaji Angre in 1744. The Peshwas took control in 1755, and eventually the British occupied it in 1818 until India’s independence. The fort features strong walls with 15 bastions, including an upper section called Balekot and a lower part named Padkot. It has several entrances, including secret doors, water wells, dry wells, and ruins of storehouses and houses. The fort offers stunning views of the Vashishti river creek, Dabhol port, the sea, and nearby lighthouses.

It remains a significant historic and architectural site reflecting the region's maritime and military past.