Tarapur Fort

Tarapur, Maharashtra, India

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Tarapur Fort, located in Tarapur in Maharashtra's Palghar district, was originally constructed in 1290 by Raja Bhimdev and extensively rebuilt by the Portuguese in 1593 under Viceroy Matias de Albuquerque.

It is a nearly square fortification with walls around 30 feet high and 10 feet thick, enclosing about 500 square feet. The fort was surrounded by walls with round bastions and featured facilities like a church, a Dominican monastery, a hospital, granaries, guard rooms, and wells that provided abundant fresh water.

In 1739, the Maratha forces led by Chimaji Appa attacked the fort, breaching its walls with mines and successfully capturing it after stiff resistance from the Portuguese. The Marathas repaired the damaged walls and used the fort until the British took control in 1803.

The fort's architecture reflects the military styles of both the Portuguese and the Marathas, with some parts possibly rebuilt after the siege. Today, it remains a significant historical monument showcasing the layered colonial and Maratha history along Maharashtra's coast.