Sinhagad

Sinhagad, the Lion's Fort, stands on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleshwar range about 28 kilometres south-west of Pune, at 1,317 metres above sea level. Formerly called Kondhana, it has seen many battles, above all the Battle of Sinhagad in 1670. Its steep sides gave natural protection, and on clear days Rajgad, Purandar and Torna are visible from the top.

The fort is a weekend outing for Pune residents. A road runs to the summit, and walkers can climb from the base on a 2.7-kilometre path with about 600 metres of ascent. Entry is through the Pune Darwaja on the north-east or the Kalyan Darwaja on the south-east. Inside are memorials to the Maratha general Tanaji Malusare and to Rajaram I, the third Chhatrapati; Tanaji's original memorial stone was uncovered from beneath cement and paint in 2019. There are also old stables, a brewery and a Kali temple.