Chapora Fort
Chapora Fort, located in Bardez, Goa, rises high above the Chapora River. Before the Portuguese arrived in Goa in 1510, this location was the site of another fort. The fort changed hands several times after Portuguese acquired Bardez. Trying to end the Portuguese rule in Goa, Prince Akbar joined his father’s enemies, the Marathas in 1683 and made this place his base camp. It became the northern outpost of the Old Conquests. After the Portuguese recovered from an encounter with the Marathas, they strengthened their northern defences and provided shelter to the people there.
The present fort was built in 1717, replacing the older fortifications. Across the Chapora river, the Hindu ruler of Pernem, the Maharaja of Sawantwadi who was an old enemy of the Portuguese held the fort for two years after it fell to the Marathas in 1739 in its first test. When Goa's border moved northwards with the acquisition of Pernem as part of the New Conquests, the fort lost its military significance towards the end of the century. It is a pleasant place to wander that offers fantastic views north across the Chapora river to Pernem, south over Vagator and also far out to the Arabian Sea in the West.
The fort sits on a prominent position which commands views in all directions. It also has steep slopes on all sides. The fort follows the outline of the higher slopes. This forms an irregular outer wall that uses the natural form to add defensive height to the fortifications. This offers an advantage over dry ditches being dug. At the top of the steep approach track, the main gate is small and unpretentious, but narrow and deep. Depending on defence requirements, the positions of bastions are irregularly spaced with enormous embrasures for cannon. Each bastion has a cylindrical turret offering a special character to the fort.
Inside the fort, the church, once dedicated to St. Anthony, has disappeared and inside only a few signs exist of the barracks and housing that once filled this vast area. The wide expanse of open space is only a tumble of stones, where a few herds of goats graze and cashew bushes grow. A natural valley to the beach protected by rocky promontories provides an excellent natural access to the sea.
History
Talking of the year, the present structure was built in 1717. Many rulers have held this fort for varied periods of time but main enmity was seen between Marathas and Portuguese to gain control over it. And although it was built to serve as a place of strategic importance for defence purposes, the fort fell very quickly in the test of military prowess. When we see around today, there are very less signs of the barracks and houses which were there in significant number once inside the fort.
Chapora Fort, which is situated on Anjuna-Beach in Goa, is one of the famous sightseeing attractions among travellers. The Chapora Fort was built by Adil Shah, the ruler of Bijapur and therefore, the fort has been named as the town of Shah that is Shahpura.
The fort was built in order to keep a watch on Hindu raiders who wanted to set up their territory in Goa. Around 1617, the Portuguese rebuilt the fort and made underground tunnels in order to escape at the time of any emergency. After the rule of the Portuguese, Chapora Fort was never occupied again by any ruler and was abandoned.
Built in red laterite stones, the fort has steep slopes on all the sides and stands on an area which has irregular outer plan. The fort is one of the popular attractions as it gives a view of the Anjuna-Beach and the Vagator Beach. Tourists can reach this site by hiring taxis and buses.
Visitor Information
Famous for: History Buffs Nirvana Seekers Photo Fanatics Nature Lovers Adventure Seekers.
Entrance Fee:No entry fee
Visiting Time9:30 AM to 5:30 PM on all days of the week
Duration of Visit:2 hours