Bassein Fort ruins

The Bassein Fort is a fort near Vasai, just north of Mumbai on the mainland just north of the Bombay archipelago. It was established by the Portuguese as the headquarters of their Indian operations in 1534 and centre of their operations until 1739. With this as the main base, they built other smaller forts such as the Castella de Aguada, and strong houses in many of the islands. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Vasai Road is the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on the Western Railway railway line. ... Mumbai (Hindi / Marathi: मुंबई) (pronounced ), formerly known as Bombay is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, and the most populous city of India, with a estimated population of about 18 million (2005). ... An archipelago is a landform which consists of a chain or cluster of islands. ... Events February 27 - Group of Anabaptists of Jan Matthys seize Münster and declare it The New Jerusalem - they begin to exile dissenters and forcible baptize all others May 10 - Jacques Cartier explores Newfoundland while searching for the Northwest Passage. ... Events January 1 - Bouvet Island is discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier. ... Castella de Aguada or the Fort of the Waterpoint is a Portuguese fort at Lands End, Bandra in the city of Mumbai (Bombay), India. ...

In the 18th century, the fort was attacked by the Maratha army under Peshwa Baji Rao, and fell in 1739 after a three year long campaign. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Marāthās is a collective term referring to a group of Hindu, Marathi-speaking castes of warriors and peasants, hailing mostly from the present-day state of Maharashtra, who created a substantial empire, covering a major part of India, in the 17th and 18th centuries. ... The Peshwa (also known in Marathi as Peshwe) were Brahmin Prime Ministers to the Maratha Chattrapatis (Kings), who began commanding Maratha armies and later became the hereditary rulers of the Maratha empire of central India from 1749 AD to 1818 AD. They oversaw the greatest expansion of the Maratha Empire... Bajirao (1700-1740), was Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shahu. ... Events January 1 - Bouvet Island is discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier. ...

The remains of the fort can be reached by bus or auto-rickshaw from the Vasai railway station. The ramparts overlook Vasai creek and are almost complete, though overgrown. Several watch-towers still stand, with safe staircases leading up.

The Portuguese buildings inside the fort are in ruins, although there are enough standing walls to give a good idea of the floor plans of these structures. Some have well-preserved façades. In particular, many of the arches have weathered the years remarkably well. They are usually decorated with carved stones, some weathered beyond recognition, others still displaying sharp chisel marks. West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ...

Three chapels inside the fort are still recognisable. They have façades typical of 17th century Portuguese churches. The southernmost of these has a well preserved barrel vaulted ceiling. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ...

References

• Vasai (Bassein) Fort – TIFR

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) is the foremost research institute in India. ...

External link

• Bassein, Maharashtra Tourism.