# Ita Fort

- **Country:** India
- **Location Text:** Itanagar

Ita Fort is a significant historical monument located in Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The name of the fort, which translates to "Fort of Bricks" in the Assamese language, directly inspired the modern name of the city itself. Constructed during the 14th and 15th centuries, the structure was built by the Chutia kings who ruled the region during that era. The fortification is strategically situated on a hill near the Buroi River, overlooking the Dikrong valley, and served as a crucial defensive outpost extending the kingdom's influence eastward toward Biswanath.

The architectural design of Ita Fort reflects the engineering prowess of the Chutia dynasty, characterized by a robust stone masonry base topped with extensive layers of brickwork. The total volume of the brick construction amounts to approximately 16,200 cubic meters, utilizing granite and lime mortar alongside the bricks. This specific style of wall construction shares notable similarities with other contemporary structures built by the Chutia rulers, such as the Tamreswari Temple and Rukmini Nagar Fort. The presence of identical builder's marks on the bricks found at these various sites confirms a unified architectural tradition across the kingdom's territories.

Today, Ita Fort exists primarily as ruins, with parts of the structure, particularly the eastern gate, suffering from heavy damage over the centuries. Despite its deteriorated condition, the site remains an important cultural landmark managed by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. While the fort itself is open for historical observation, many archaeological artifacts recovered from the excavation site are preserved and displayed at the nearby Jawaharlal Nehru Museum in Itanagar. The fort stands as a enduring testament to the region's medieval history and the strategic importance of the Chutia kingdom in northeastern India.

![Photo of Ita Fort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Ita_Fort_01.JPG)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ita_Fort (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)