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Salimgarh Fort is one of the most famous historical monuments in Delhi.
Built by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri in 1546 AD, the fort is
located in a former island of the Yamuna River. The fort is now rechristined
as Swatantrata Senani Smarak (Freedom Fighters' Memorial) a memorial for
the freedom fighters who died inside the fort.
The Fort is part of the Red Fort Complex. Declared as
a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, which obligates Archeological Survey
of India.
Eventhough Salim Shah Suri started the fort, only the
walls were completed when Salim Shah died and the construction was abandoned.
Later several Mughal rulers camped here which includes Humayun who stayed
here for three days before launching his successful attack for recapturing
Delhi.
In 1622 AD, Jahangir constructed a bridge and connected
the fort to the mainland, later removed by the British when they built
railway line through it. This grand structure was then connected to the
Red Fort by Shah Jahan, and the fort finally became a state jail during
Aurangzeb’s rule.
The British continued using it as a prison and kept
its artillery units here after the war of 1857. The leaders of Indian
National Army were imprisoned here in 1945. he barracks where soldiers
were kept as prisoners have been converted into their memorials. The memorial
houses INA uniforms, personal belongings and some photographs.
The fort is polygonal in shape and is enclosed by solid
rubble masonry walls. The entry to the fort is allowed from its northern
gate known as Bahadur Shahi Gate as Bahadur Shah Zafar constructed it
in 1854-55 AD. The gate is built of brick masonry with red sandstone at
places. The fort has several lofty bastions but fortunately the ruins
of those can be only be seen in the present times.
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Monuments 
