Type: Monument - Fort
Province: Gilgit-Baltistan
District: Hunza
Period: Historic
Relative Chronology: 14th-15th Century CE
Description: Baltit Fort stands on a location that dominates the Hunza Valley. Baltit fort is 700-year-old and eventually encompassed the traditional settlements in Karimabad. Until the 950s the fort was used as residence for the royal family. The fortress is mainly seen from its west elevation, which was used for observation and defense against enemies. Its natural integration, its topography, location and its materials represent in some way a small-scale replica of the mighty dominating mountains. Architecturally the fort was influenced by the Baltistan/ Tibetan culture. The large structure of the fort comprised over several construction phases. The history of Baltit Fort is complex and not precisely known. It is strongly illustrated by the many additions and modifications of which the actual structure is the end product and also relics on the legends transmitted by different generations. According to the local tradition the fort was built when the princess of Baltistan married the reigning prince of Hunza. The building was supposed to resist a long siege and protect all the village people and their animals. This explains why the fortress has so many small rooms and secret cum storage container dug underground. Although abandoned this magnificent monument still demands great respect. The first floor of the fort reached through a stone staircase on its western side. At this floor one can see the royal kitchen, guard room, winter rooms, storage as well as a guest room. On second floor houses the Rani`s and the Mir`s personal quarters, a large reception and drawing room, a colonial inspired living room with a projecting veranda, a large waiting room with a Tibetan lantern, a veranda for a musicians to play and apartment and a guard room. The royal Dais was added after 1885 and has the scene of numerous royal receptions. As a result of the military British campaign of 1891 against the Hunza-Nager kingdoms, Mir Safder Ali Khan fled to China with most of his possession. Then after a short resistance of the village various British officers took up residency for a very short period. Immediately after the British installed Muhammad Nazim Khan, the youngest of the six brothers of the ancient Mir ruling family, with whom they established good relations, the new Mir modified the top floor of the fort and the whole structure became much more of a palace. Baitit Fort was described by a visitor in 1979 as a labyrinth of dark, smelly dusty rooms, with decaying roofs pierced by holes and cracked walls that leaned precariously outside foundation lines. Yet it was undoubtedly a masterpiece of craftsmanship and thoroughly adapted to climate and function. Restoration work began on the fort in 1992 and was completed in 1996. The Agha Khan Development Network has implemented or supported a variety of community-based projects. These include the restoration and reuse of Baltit Fort, rehabilitation of the historic villages of Karimabad, Ganesh and Alit. It has since become a local history Museum and Cultural Centre. The villages and neighborhoods around the fort, which were in danger of being deserted in favor of new construction, have been rehabilitated with the active participation of residents.
Latitude: 36.307500000
Longitude: 74.671667000
Ownership: Private
Legal Status: Not Protected
Title of Publication: Built Heritage of Gilgit Baltistan by Baltistan Culture and Development Foundation
Published In: Unpublished
Year of Publication: Miscellaneous
Bibliography/Reference: Anonymous
