Visit the fascinating Junagarh fort
Junagarh fort is located in the arid region of the Thar desert of Rajasthan bordered on the northwest by the Aravalli range, a range of mountains in western India. The fort is a historical and cultural site in the city of Bikaner which was originally called Chintamani and was renamed Junagarh or "Old Fort" in the early 20th century when the ruling family moved to Lalgarh Palace outside the fort limits. It is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop. Now the modern city of Bikaner has developed around the fort. Construction of the walls and associated moat commenced in 1589 and was completed in 1594. It was built outside the original fort of the city, which is about 1.5 kilometres from the city centre. Covering an area of 5.28 hectares, Junagarh fort consists of a lot of magnificent architectures made of red sandstone and marble including palaces, temples and pavilions with intricate exteriors and interiors. These buildings feature a composite art, manifest in the mix of architectural styles. Hence the fort is called "a paradox between medieval military architecture and beautiful interior decoration".
