Maratha Military Landscapes included in UNESCO World Heritage List

News: Maratha Military Landscapes of India has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India’s 44th property to receive this recognition.

About Maratha Military Landscapes included in UNESCO World Heritage List

• It is an extraordinary network of twelve forts that demonstrates the strategic military vision and architectural ingenuity of the Maratha Empire.
• Built in the period from 17th century to 19th century.
• Distribution: The Landscapes include twelve majestic forts, eleven of which are in Maharashtra and one is in Tamil Nadu.
  • The selected sites, include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, along with Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
• Protection level: Protected under –
  • Archaeological Survey of India: Shivneri fort, Lohgad, Raigad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala fort, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg and Gingee fort.
  • Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Maharashtra: Salher fort, Rajgad, Khanderi fort and Pratapgarh fort.
• Terrain: The forts are located across a range of diverse terrains reflecting a sophisticated understanding of geography and strategic defence planning.
  • Hill forts: Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Raigad, Rajgad, and Gingee forts
  • Hill-forest fort: Pratapgad fort
  • Hill-plateau fort: Panhala fort
  • Coastal fort: Vijaydurg fort
  • Island forts: Khanderi, Suvarnadurg, and Sindhudurg forts
• Importance: Together, they form a cohesive military landscape that highlights the innovation and regional adaptation of fortification traditions in India.

Note: India ranks 6th globally and 2nd in Asia Pacific Region for the most number (44 as of July 15^th, 2025) of World Heritage Sites.