Commemorate and Breathe In The Rich Historic Legacy of Pune
Flipping through the pages of the Indian history, one comes across a rich legacy and culture that the city of Pune boasts. The city stands witness to different dynasties that ruled supreme in their era. This dramatic city has also seen many great souls been born, treacherous wars fought, wanton massacres undertaken, spectacular victories, unfortunate demises, blooming love stories and many mysteries which still lie veiled. The historical monuments of Pune stand soaring to divulge the illustrious account of the bygone era. The one monument that immediately strikes our mind and is also one of the prime attractions in Pune is the Shaniwar Wada. Built by the 1st Bajirao Peshwa in the 18th century, it served as the residence of the Peshwas. It’s designed on mediaeval lines with high walls, towers, embrasures and loopholes. A fire engulfed the fort in 1827 A.D. lasted for approximately 15 days, destroying the entire beauty of the palace along with all of its artifacts. The sixteen-petal lotus-shaped fountain standing inside the Shaniwar Wada stands as a proof of the exquisite craftsmanship of those times. The splendid architecture has its principal entrance via the Dilli Darwaja, while the other entrances are the Mastani or Alibahadur Darwaja, Khidki Darwaja, Ganesh Darwaja and Narayan Darwaja. The amazing architecture of the fort speaks volumes about the competence of the Peshwas in the field of town planning.
The Lal Mahal built by Shahajiraje Bhonsale for his wife Jijabai and son Shivaji in 1630 AD, holds its own significance in the history of Maharashtra and that of the Maratha Empire. The Lal Mahal is made up of red bricks and has four umbrellas on the roof, which remains the chief attraction of this place. At present, the monument has a collection of some beautiful oil-paintings displaying the important events from Shivaji’s life, queen Jijabai’s statue and a striking carving of little Shivaji holding a golden plough accompanied by mentor Dadoji Konddev and mother Jijabai.
Set marvelously amidst an area of 19 acres is the Aga Khan Palace built by Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah Agakhan III in the year 1892. It was built as an act of charity to provide employment to the people of Pune who had been severely affected by famine. The palace also witnessed an important event in the history of the Indian freedom struggle as Mahatma Gandhi along with his wife Kasturba Gandhi was kept under house arrest here. The Italian arches and beautiful lush green lawns catch the eye of spectators. This palace was later donated to the Government of India in 1969.
The massive fort of Sinhagad stands as a testimony to the bravery of the Maratha warriors under the leadership of Tanaji Malusare, the general of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The fort was earlier referred as Kondhana but in a battle in 1670 Tanaji Malusare sacrificed his life to capture the fort and as a result Shivaji termed Tanaji as “sinha” renaming the fort as Sinhagad.
There are numerous historical monuments around the city of Pune that proclaim the grandeur and the glory of the past empires. We at Hotel Studio Estique Pune City Centre take pride in this spirit of heroism and magnanimity that our dynamic city of Pune exemplifies!
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