A fort worth a visit

Medak Fort is a heritage structure and a popular tourist attraction of Medak town. The fort is of immense historical and architectural importance in the region of Telangana. The Medak Fort is a huge structure that takes nestling on the top of a hill. 

This enormous fort was built about 800 years back in Medak, which was then the headquarters of the district. The fort demands one’s attention with its typical construction.

The fort was built during the 12th century under the reign of the Kakatiya ruler, Pratapa Rudra and it was initially called ‘MethukuDurgam’ in Telugu.

It served as a command post for the Kakatiyas and later for the Qutub Shahis. The fort also has a 17th-century Mosque in its premises built by the Qutub Shahis, as well as granaries.

Highlights

If you wish to get to the top of this beautiful fort, you need to boost up your energy as a stretch of more than 500 steps await you.  It is elevated at a height of about 90 meters height from the ground level and is spread across 100 acres on the hilly region.  Medak Fort has three main entrances, namely the “Prathama Dwaram”, the “SimhaDwaram” which features two snarling lions at the top of these entrances while the “GajaDwaram”, or the Elephant’s Entrance features a sculpture where two elephants are majestically interlocked on both sides of this entrance.

The main entrance features the double-headed “Gandabherundam”, the emblem of Vijayanagara Empire built by the great ruler Srikrishna Devaraya. Here, one can spot a 17th-century cannon, which is 3.2 meters long, with a trident etched skillfully on it. This fortress makes use of the natural topography, as the rocky surface offers a natural defense.  The ancient fort of Medak also houses a small lake, a barrack, and a warehouse.

How to Reach
Medak Fort is located in Medak town, which is accessible by road from Hyderabad, situated nearly 96 km away. It is located about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Hyderabad city.

Where to stay
Haritha Accommodation at Medak has rooms which are built close to the walls of the Medak fort, offering unparalleled ambiance amid a wonderful heritage backdrop. The well-maintained Haritha Heritage Hotel here suites offer maximum comfort to tourists who opt for this hotel for accommodation.