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| Built by Islam Shah Suri, also known as Salim
Shah, son and successor of Sher Shah Suri in 1546, Salimgarh
Fort was constructed on an island of river Yamuna. However,
only the walls were completed when Salim Shah died and the construction
was abandoned. Later several Mughal rulers camped here before
the creation of Shahjahanabad, which includes Humayun who stayed
here for three days before recapturing Delhi in 1555. In 1622
AD, Jahangir constructed a bridge and connected it to the mainland,
which was later removed by the British when they built the railway
line through it. Shah Jahan, the next emperor connected this
fort with Red Fort and the fort finally became a state prison
during the reign of Aurangzeb. 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. The fort has now been renamed as Swatantrata Senani
Smarak (Freedom Fighters' Memorial) as a memorial has been developed
for the freedom fighters in side the fort. The barracks where
soldiers were kept as prisoners have been converted into their
memorials. The memorial houses INA uniforms, personal belongings
and some photographs. |
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| The fort is somewhat polygonal in shape and
is enclosed by solid rubble masonry walls. The entry to the
fort is from its northern gate also called Bahadur Shahi Gate
as Bahadur Shah Zafar constructed it in 1854-55 AD. The gate
is built of brick masonry with red sandstone sparingly used.
The fort contained several lofty bastions but fortunately or
unfortunately the ruins of those can be only be seen today.
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