Maharashtra receives UNESCO certificate for 12 Shivaji Forts

The Government of Maharashtra has received the official certificate from UNESCO declaring 12 forts linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a World Heritage Site, marking a landmark moment in the state’s cultural and historical journey.The recognition comes under the inscription titled “Maratha Military Landscapes of India,” which was last year named the 44th World Heritage Site in India. The inscription celebrates the rich civilisational legacy, indigenous military engineering, and architectural brilliance of the Maratha empire.Twelve Forts Recognised Under Global Heritage Tag

The 12 component sites inscribed under the World Heritage list are:
•Salher Fort
•Shivneri Fort
•Lohgad Fort
•Khanderi Fort
•Raigad Fort
•Rajgad Fort
•Pratapgad Fort
•Suvarnadurg Fort
•Panhala Fort
•Vijaydurg Fort
•Sindhudurg Fort (all in Maharashtra)
•Gingee Fort (Tamil Nadu)
These forts, developed between the 17th and 19th centuries, represent an extraordinary and strategically designed military fortification network envisioned by the Maratha rulers.Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the occasion as historic and emotional. “It is a moment of joy and pride. The recognition marks a historic and emotional moment for the people of Maharashtra and Shiv-bhaktas worldwide,” he said.Fadnavis also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and acknowledged the efforts of Vishal Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, for steering the nomination process.
Certificate Received in France
State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar formally accepted the certificate at an official function in France. He was accompanied by Vishal Sharma and received the certificate from Ernesto Renato Ottone Ramirez, Assistant Director-General for Culture at UNESCO.According to UNESCO, the property includes twelve major fortifications, mostly in Maharashtra with one in Tamil Nadu. Strategically located across coastal and mountainous terrain, these forts formed a complex defence system that supported Maratha military dominance, safeguarded trade routes, and enabled territorial control.
Symbol of Strategic Vision and Swarajya
Coronated at Raigad Fort on June 6, 1674, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundation of ‘Hindavi Swarajya’—self-rule of the people. The nomination dossier highlights how the forts, distributed across diverse geographical and physiographic regions, reflect the strategic military vision of the Maratha rule.The network integrates landscape, terrain, and regional characteristics distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan coast, the Deccan plateau, and the Western Ghats. Varying in hierarchy, scale, and typology, the forts together represent a sophisticated and adaptive defence architecture.
Maharashtra is home to over 390 forts, of which only 12 were selected for inscription under the Maratha Military Landscapes of India. Eight of these are protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.The global recognition is expected to boost heritage tourism, international visibility, and conservation efforts, while reaffirming the enduring legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a visionary military strategist and nation-builder.