# Nargund Fort

- **Country:** India
- **Coordinates:** 15.720000, 75.380000

Naragunda is a town located in Gadag district in Karnataka, India, situated at an elevation of 605 metres. The town's name derives from "Nari Gundu," meaning "Hillock of Foxes" in Kannada, referring to a distinctive hillock that once marked the center of the town. Historically known as a habitat for foxes, the area now features windmills across its landscape.

The most significant historical feature of Naragunda is Nargund Fort, located on a hill in the town's center. Built by Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1674, the fort was strategically designed to resist enemy capture and serve as a stronghold against Mughal annexation of the territory. Unlike other Karnataka forts, Nargund Fort featured utilitarian architecture rather than elaborate fortifications, with essential structures including a reservoir, ammunition storage, a large well for water supply, and watchtowers, but no multiple floors or ornamental gardens.

The fort remained under Maratha rule for fifteen years before being captured by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1692, though the Marathas later recaptured it. Today, the fort stands in ruins with most internal structures destroyed over centuries. The town itself had a population of 36,291 as of the 2011 census and continues to serve as a notable historical site in the region despite the deteriorated condition of its once-strategic fortress.

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