Ghodbunder Fort is a fort located in Ghodbunder Village, Thane,

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

, India, on the hill just south of the Ulhas River. It was built by the Portuguese, occupied by the Maratha Empire, and became the East India Company's district headquarters. The place was called Ghodbunder because it was where the Portuguese used to trade for ghode (horses) with the Arabs. Hence the name Ghodbunder: ghode (horses) & bunder (port). In 1530 the Portuguese came to Thane, and they began fortifying the hill area about 1550, but completion of the fort in its current form was in 1730. The Portuguese name for the fort was Cacabe de Tanna. It was under Portuguese rule until 1737. The Portuguese built a church in the fort that still stands, and is now used as a hotel. Two angels engraved on the inside wall of the church still remains. The old church can be seen clearly in the background of the courtyard photo. There are many old maps and texts which mention continual attempts by the Marathas to capture this fort. The Portuguese were able to defend Ghodbunder Fort from these attacks successfully for many years, including the attack in 1672 by the powerful forces of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.However, the Marathas under

Chimnaji Appa Chimaji Balaji Bhat was born in a Chitpavan caste family in 1707 and died in 1740, commonly referred to as Appa or Bhau, was the son of Balaji Vishwanath Bhat and the younger brother of Bajirao Peshwa of Maratha Empire. He was an able militar ...

successfully besieged the fort and took it over from the Portuguese in 1737. Following its capture, Sambhaji ordered the strengthening of the fortifications, initiating the construction of the tower. In 1818, the British occupied the fort and made it the headquarters of the district administration for the East Indian Company, with a district collector stationed in Thane. Although the fort currently lies in ruins, the government of India has started its renovation. The fort itself is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

References

{{Forts in India Forts in Maharashtra Portuguese forts in India History of Thane district Tourist attractions in Thane district 1550s establishments in Portuguese India 1730s in Portuguese India 16th-century forts in India 17th-century forts in India Forts around Mumbai