Manek Burj

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, India

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Manek Burj is the original bastion and foundation point of the city of Ahmedabad, built around the foundation stone laid by Sultan Ahmed Shah I on February 26, 1411.

It stands about 53 feet high and once contained a large roofed stepwell called Manek Kuva, which provided water to the royal baths through a channel from the Sabarmati River until the river changed its course and the well dried up in 1866.

The bastion is named after the Hindu saint Maneknath, who, according to legend, played a vital role in the city's founding, sometimes depicted as both helping and challenging the Sultan during construction. Manek Burj is significant as one of the few remaining parts of the medieval fortifications of Ahmedabad and symbolizes the city's rich heritage.

The structure was partially demolished and later restored during expansions of the nearby Ellis Bridge, which was built in 1869 close to the bastion. Today, it stands as a protected historic site and a reminder of Ahmedabad's origin story.​