Shaniwar Wada

Pune, Maharashtra, India

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Shaniwar Wada, located in Pune, Maharashtra, was built in 1732 by Peshwa Baji Rao I as the seat of the Peshwas of the Maratha Empire.

The name "Shaniwar Wada" comes from the Marathi words for Saturday and residence, as the foundation stone was laid on a Saturday. It was initially planned as a grand seven-storied stone structure, but due to restrictions by the ruling Satara kings, only the stone foundation was completed, with the rest built using bricks.

The fort featured five grand gateways, intricately carved teak doorways, marble floors, fountains including the famous Hazari Karanje (Fountain of a Thousand Spouts), and large wooden doors designed to allow elephants to pass through. Shaniwar Wada witnessed many key events, including the assassination of Peshwa Narayan Rao in 1773.

It was heavily damaged in a fire in 1828, leaving only the stone base, teak gateways, and walls intact. Today, it stands as a major historical and cultural landmark symbolizing Maratha pride and architectural brilliance, attracting tourists and history enthusiasts to Pune.