4 lesser known forts in Mumbai

Mumbai, the city of dreams, is known for its stellar entertainment industry, but you cannot simply take away from it the fact that it boasts of some of the greatest forts in Maharashtra. Mumbai used to be the home of the Maratha empire and surrounded by Sahyadri ranges, Marathas had built several forts in the region that speak volumes about their valour, defense tactic and artists. Some of these marvellous architecture are among the top tourist attractions in the city.

Sewri Fort: The Sewri Fort in Mumbai was constructed by the British in 1680 as a watchtower. It was built when Portugese were still in Mumbai. Overlooking the Mumbai Harbour, this fort today has small inner entrances. People can enjoy stunning views of the harbour from atop the fort which is a reminder of British period in the country.

Bandra Fort: Popular as the Bandra Fort, Castella de Aguada is set inside the post suburbs of Bandra where most of the famous Bollywood celebrities reside. Today, the fort partially lies in ruins but that has not stopped travellers from exploring the site. The fort was constructed by the Portuguese in 1640 and served as their watch tower.

Worli Fort: Built by the British in around 1675, the Worli Fort overlooks the Mahim Bay. During that time, Mumbai was a city made up of seven islands. This lesser-known historic fort in Mumbai is in Worli Village, which is a small locality of fishermen. There are narrow winding streets that will take you to the fort. A small well and a temple can be found inside the fort while on the borders of the fort, there are rock cannons.

Bombay Castle: Bombay Castle or Casa da Orta is among the oldest defensive structures in the history of Mumbai. The castle was built by the British on the same site where a Portuguese nobleman Garcia de Orta had built the Manor House. The land was leased by Orta from the King of Portugal between 1554 and 1570. The first Governor of Bombay Gerald Aungier used to live in the castle.