Bombay Castle is the oldest castle in Mumbai and has a long and illustrious history.

The Bombay Castle, located within the INS Angre in south Mumbai, has a sundial dating from the Portuguese era that, although not indicating 12 hours of a single day, does indicate particular periods that were significant to people at the time. apartment for sale

Have you heard that Mumbai (formerly Bombay) has its own historical castle? The Bombay Castle, also known as Casa da Orta, is one of the city’s most magical monuments. It is one of the oldest defensive fortifications constructed in the region. The current castle was constructed on the site of the former Manor House by the British. Garcia de Orta, a Portuguese nobleman, designed this building. Between 1554 and 1570, he leased Bombay Island from King of Portugal.

Bombay Castle in South Mumbai: Interesting Facts

It’s almost impossible to estimate the monument’s worth! It is absolutely priceless and sits on prime Mumbai real estate. Blue Kurla stone and red laterite stone from the southern Konkan area were used to build the castle. The British finally took control of the islands that make up Bombay in 1665, and the East India Company took control of the castle in 1668. They designed the defensive fortifications around the Manor House over the next decade. A massive wall was built to protect the rapidly growing town from 1716 to 1723. After the city’s rapid development, the wall was demolished in 1865, though remains can still be found in some zones. The original castle’s documents are scarce, and historians disagree about where the Manor House was actually built. Inside the INS Angre naval station in south Mumbai, there are two gates.

There is a sundial that is said to date from the Portuguese period. The sundial does not indicate the 12 hours of a single day, but rather unique times that were considered significant at the time.

The Governor’s House was the most important structure inside the Bombay Castle. Gerald Aungier, Bombay’s second governor, lived in this house. This residence was eventually relocated to Parel, and then to Malabar Hill. The Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command has offices in the new structure.

The History of Bombay Castle and Its Subsequent Developments

The fort that surrounds Bombay Castle is inextricably connected to its heritage. Many Mumbai residents are aware that a fort once stood near Churchgate, Flora Fountain, and CST in south Mumbai. The area’s name, Fort, may have come from the original fort that once stood there. The larger Bombay Fort used to occupy the entire stretch from St George Fort in Dongri in the north to Mendham’s Point in the south, which is now the Navy’s Lion Gate. The Sultan of Gujarat controlled the region until the Portuguese arrived. The first Portuguese ship arrived in Mahim in 1509, captained by Francis Almeida. On December 23, 1534, the Portuguese signed a treaty with the Sultan of Gujarat for the acquisition of Bassein and its dependencies, including Bombaim and the seven islands. The Portuguese eventually handed over these seven islands to the British rulers: Colaba, Little Colaba/Old Woman’s Island, Bombaim, Mazagaon, Parel, Worli, and Mahim.

After England’s Prince Charles II married the King of Portugal’s niece, Infanta Catherine de Braganza, a treaty was signed on January 23, 1661. The 11th article of the marriage contract gave Bombay to the British as dowry, despite possession being granted only on February 18, 1665. These islands were taken over by Deputy Viceroy Humphrey Cooke. The treaty was signed at Dona Ignez de Castro de Miranda’s Manor House, the island’s lady of the island. During the British occupation of the Fort, it was expanded. To protect the Bombay Castle and Fort from Dutch invasions, Cooke constructed a 50-meter wall with 18 cannons. Except for a gate of the Bombay Fort and a 10-foot sundial inside the grounds, they demolished most Portuguese structures. The fort was an irregularly shaped quadrangle with walls that were 27 feet high and 25 feet wide. The walls were adorned with 36 massive cannons. The eventual construction of the town, including Bombay Castle and the larger Fort that surrounded it, was also aided by Governor Sir Henry Bartle Frere.