Rohtas Fort

A Suri fortification

Rohtas Fort, also called Qila Rohtas, stands near Jhelum in Pakistan’s Punjab. UNESCO describes the fortified complex as a sixteenth-century work begun under Sher Shah Suri after his defeat of the Mughal emperor Humayun. UNESCO inscribed Rohtas on the World Heritage List in 1997 for its significance as an example of military architecture and for the influence of its architectural traditions.[1]

Walls and gateways

Jhelum district’s account identifies twelve gates, including Sohail, Kabuli, Shishi and Langar Khani, and describes them as built in dressed stone. It also names Shah Chandwali, Talaqi, Mori or Kashmiri, Khwas Khani, Gatali, Tulla Mori, Pipalwala and Sar gates. The named entrances are points of reference when studying the fort’s different sides. To compare a historical description with a visit or a map, check which gate the author identifies and the date of the account.[2]

UNESCO lists walls over four kilometres long and 68 bastions.[1]

Pakistan’s archaeology department instead counts 72 bastions, illustrating the need to compare inventories carefully. Its introduction distinguishes twelve large gates from three smaller ones, a useful distinction when comparing gate totals.[3]

The archaeology department describes the fort as irregular in plan, with a circumference of approximately four kilometres.[3]

Conservation and a living setting

Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology and Museums describes Rohtas as a major defensive complex built on Sher Shah’s orders. UNESCO’s World Heritage account records a conservation programme initiated in 2000 and identifies drainage and encroachment as matters requiring attention. A village within the fortified area is part of the site’s living setting, so conservation involves people as well as walls and gates. The heritage designation recognises the fort’s international importance; it does not mean that every part is free from damage or that conservation is finished. Conditions and access arrangements can change over time.[3][1]