As my plane readies for touchdown at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, I get a glimpse of the Sabarmati River with eleven elegant bridges spanning it. As I found during my stay in this surprising city, this river connects many aspects of it. The swish Sabarmati Riverfront, with parks and promenades, is truly a tale of urban transformation, redefining the relationship between the river and the city. But, while this, the Sabarmati Ashram, and other more modern architectural wonders such as mid-century buildings by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier and Estonian-American Louis Khan are certainly fascinating, what I’m most interested in, are the truly historical places in Ahmedabad. And there are many.
Ahmedabad’s historical significance
It’s believed that the region where the city of Ahmedabad is located has been inhabited since the 11th century. Known as Ashaval and ruled by a Bhil tribal king, it was conquered by the Solanki dynasty of Anhilwara (what is modern-day Patan), who established Karnavati, a settlement on the banks of the Sabarmati River. The old town or the walled city of Ahmedabad as we know it today was founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah I later, in the 15th century. For more than 600 years, it has been a capital city of pivotal importance, which has also taken pride in preserving its rich traditions. Today, there are still many monuments from the early years with old Ahmedabad itself being declared India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2017. Not surprisingly, I learned that the historical places in Ahmedabad include 28 monuments listed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), one listed by the State Department of Archaeology (SDA), and 2,696 important buildings protected by the Heritage Department of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Also, explore our comprehensive guide to the best places to visit in Ahmedabad.
Must-see historical places in Ahmedabad
Bhadra Fort
To establish Ahmedabad as the new capital of the Gujarat Sultanate, Ahmad Shah built this fort on the east bank of the Sabarmati River. Even today, in the imposing Manek Burj, you can see the foundation stone that he laid in 1411 AD. The square fort has eight gates and a second layer of walls that were added by his grandson Mahmud Begada. When I walk through the bastions today, I get a sense of the rich history of this spot, which has seen the rule of 60 governors (including Mughal emperors in the making like Jahangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb! The Marathas and the British also staked their claim here at various times. Named for the ancient temple dedicated to Mata Bhadrakali, who is the nagardevi (patron goddess) of Ahmedabad, which can also be visited.
Explore more historical marvels with our guide to India’s biggest forts.
Jami Masjid
Exploring Ahmad Shah’s Mosque (Shahi Jam-e-Masjid or Juni Juma Masjid) which was built in 1424 AD, I am floored by the corbelled ceilings and intricate carvings in yellow sandstone. This is the oldest mosque in the city and one of the most serene and historical places in Ahmedabad.
Badshah No Hajiro
The tomb and mosque of the city’s founder is one of the most significant historical places in Ahmedabad. Local Amdawadis, irrespective of what religion they belong to, come here to seek the blessings of Ahmed Shah I before commencing anything important. Just a short distance away, within sight, is the hauntingly empty Rani no Hajiro, where his queen is buried. At a naubat-khana above the gate nearby, drummers and shehnai players have been paying their respects to the king daily for over 600 years. Today, brothers Sheru bhai and Amir miyan are all that’s left of the once-grand spectacle. But you can catch their 10-minute tri-taal performance at 11 pm every night. It’s well worth the effort of climbing up the narrow stairs to see them with their 600-year-old musical instruments and dedication handed down for several generations. Not only was the drumming a way of showing respect to the king, but it also alerted cityfolk that the gates were being closed.
Explore more with this guide to the most spectacular places to visit in Gujarat
Bai Harir Ni Vav (often called Dada Hari Ni Vav)
There are plenty of step-wells (about 120 in Gujarat), each an ornate social centre as well as a practical way of accessing depleting water in the arid area. This one is within the old city, in the neighbourhood of Asarwa, built in 1499 AD at the behest of the royal midwife Bai Harir, also known as Dai Halima. I can’t get enough of the stunning multi-storeyed architecture, beautiful sculptures that tell their own stories, and inscriptions in both Sanskrit and Persian, which speak volumes of the syncretic culture of the original Ahmedabad. A spiral stone stairwell connects it to the Dai Halima Mosque nearby, also built by the powerful woman in Mahmud Begada’s household.
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Sidi Saiyyed Mosque
It was built in the 16th century by the Abyssinian Shaikh Sa’id Al-Habshi Sultani, who came to Gujarat as a slave to a Turkish general. He eventually became a wealthy nobleman and built a few structures to benefit the people of Ahmedabad. His mosque is famous for its gorgeous window lattice carved in stone, depicting the Tree of Life, which has been a symbol for the city as well as the logo of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. I enjoyed seeing it from the front of the mosque, from where it appears as a silhouette against the trees and sky beyond, as well as from the back of the building, where you can see how the rectangular sections of the latticework have been expertly joined to create the design.
Sarkhej Roza
This sprawling complex with a mosque, tombs, and palaces overlooking a manmade lake was built in memory of Ahmed Shah’s spiritual teacher and friend, Ahmed Khattu Ganj Baksh, whose large tomb (dating back to 1451 AD) is visited by many. Late evening, you can witness a drumming and loban (frankincense) ceremony in his honour here. The huge tank, though dry when I visited, has been a great source of water and retreat-like serenity at this spot. Shah’s grandson Mahmud Begada who built it in the 15th century, decided to have his own tomb as well as his family’s built opposite that of the venerated Ganj Baksh’s.
Shaking Minarets
Inside the Siddi Bashir Mosque built by Ahmed Shah, the two minarets dating back to the 15th century still baffle architects by the fact that each reflects the vibration of the other even though they are not connected!
City streets
The rich timber architecture of the Sultanate period over 600 years ago survives even today and the designs used are a testament to the city’s multi-cultural character that hasn’t changed over the intervening centuries. More than 600 pols (gated residential streets) can be found in the old city, each with its own tiny ‘pol house’ or gatehouse built over the gateway. While some are cul de sacs, many connect with other pols, making it possible to get through the old city via the tiny bylanes without coming onto the main streets. City expert Mukarram Shaikh took me on an enlightening heritage trail through these streets, pointing out the beauty of wooden carved support in a haveli here, and explaining the workings of the gold melting workshops there. You can spend days discovering delightful little details and stories here.
Museums
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You can get a peek into the past at various museums in the city, such as the LalBhai Dalpatbhai Museum (an incredible collection of ancient sculptures and manuscripts), the Shreyas Folk Museum (artefacts used by various tribes of Kutch and Kathiawad such as Rabari, Kathi, Ahir, Mer, Charan and Bharvad, Rajput, Bhansali, etc), and the VECHAAR (Vishalla Environmental Centre for Heritage of Art, Architecture and Research) Utensils Museum at the iconic Vishalla restaurant (4500+ vessels and ingeniously designed items for household use that date between 100 and 1000 years old).
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Temples
The Hathisingh Jain Temple (1848) and Akshardham (1992) are not as ancient as the older monuments but worthy of a visit for their architecture and religious significance.
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Where to stay to explore the historical places in Ahmedabad
While there are many wonderful hotels and resorts in Ahmedabad, if you want to soak in the history of the city, I highly recommend one of these two.
Diwan’s Bungalow
This 150-year-old historic house that belongs to the illustrious Kadri family has just been adopted into the jüSTa Hotels fold. The six stunning suites were where the brothers lived, including IM Kadri, the famous architect, now in his 90s, which will give you an authentic feel of Ahmedabad life. The suites, plus two rooms, shaded verandahs, a hidden garden, and a merry fountain in the forecourt, are the mainstay of this beautiful boutique property that has history in every nook and cranny. Often visited by freedom fighters in the 1930s and 40s, it has even played host to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi! Today, it’s decorated flamboyantly and filled with intriguing family photographs, and gorgeous teakwood heirloom furniture, offers grand meals in a dining room lit by exquisite Belgian chandeliers, and old-school service that makes you feel like nobility without burning a hole in your pocket. A short distance away from the nightly street food bonanza at Manek Chowk as well as within walkable distance of all the sights of the old city.
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The House of MG
If you like it sumptuous, with all the bells and whistles, then this one is for you. Originally the family home of the Mangaldas brothers, textile mill owners and industrialists, from 1904, it played host to Mahatma Gandhi (and led to the Mangaldas family funding his first ashram in India), was the location of the country’s first department store and denim sales outlet, etc. The House of Mg as a hotel came into being in 2004. Today, with 38 rooms and suites, a rooftop restaurant, lovely gift shops, a spa, gym, it has all the modern amenities with the splendour of the past. The group also owns two heritage havelis inside the old city, the first Mangaldas ni Haveli I, a two-suite one dating back three centuries, and the second Mangaldas Ni Haveli II in a refurbished 150-year-old building with a stucco façade, and six modern rooms.
Historical places near Ahmedabad: Harappan sites in Gujarat
The bronze age Indus Valley Civilisation (also called Harappan) flourished between 3300 BCE and 1300 BCE across parts of what are today Pakistan, northwestern India, and northeastern Afghanistan. Archaeologists say it was an advanced city-dwelling civilisation, with well-planned towns enjoying trade with other ancient peoples such as the Egyptians and Mesopotamians. In Gujarat, the main Harappan sites are Lothal and Dholavira, although others have been found in Rojdi, in Rajkot district, Prabhas near Veraval, Gir Somnath district, Lakhabaval in Jamnagar, and Deshalpar in Bhuj, Kutch.
Lothal
Lothal, just 80 km from Ahmedabad, can be done as a day trip by road and is one of the top historical places in Ahmedabad. Located in Saragwala village on the banks of the Sabarmati River, this was once a bustling port town. When you visit today, you can walk through the 4500-year-old city and visit the onsite museum. I was most impressed by the dock, which they say could be the world’s oldest. I could well imagine ships sailing in from ancient Egypt, on the Sabarmati River and into a canal that brought them to the dock, their wares being unloaded on the mud-brick platforms of the riverside warehouses, and then transported to the marketplace. The microbeads, gems, and metalware of Lothal were prized by these traders. We walked through the residential area of the town, enjoying the evidence of advanced architecture and sophisticated drainage.
Explore more with our guide to the must-visit Indus Valley Civilisation sites in South Asia.
Where to stay: You can book a hotel in Ahmedabad and a vehicle to bring you to and fro.
Dholavira
There’s been a lot of international interest in Dholavira in Gujarat, ever since it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, making it one of the most significant historical places located approximately seven hours’ drive from Ahmedabad and about five hours from Bhuj. It’s located on the Tropic of Cancer, on the Khadir bet island inside the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kutch. Spread over an area of about 100 hectares, it’s one of the five biggest sites in the Indo-Pak subcontinent and the largest of the two most remarkable excavations of the Indus Valley Civilisation dating back 4500 years. While Lothal is impressive as a trading port, Dholavira is striking for its exquisitely planned urban spaces and excellent water management system. Locally known as Kotada, it’s built in the shape of a parallelogram and guarded by fortifications. I spent many happy hours exploring Dholavira’s three principal parts – the citadel, middle town and lower town – built using sandstone and limestone. The majestic citadel consists of 245 divisions, the castle in the east and the bailey in the west. The fortified middle town lies to the north and is separated from the citadel by a long ceremonial ground, while the lower town is within the general fortification to the east.
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Even the untrained eye can see the network of drains both small and large, the stonework that shows the layout of homes of varying sizes to befit the stature of their owners, and the high walls that still stand today after several centuries. You can visit the three gargantuan reservoirs that were probably used for storing freshwater diverted from seasonal streams, see the perfectly made steps going down to the water level, and even check out the channels through which the water was routed. In a place where the rainfall today averages from 300-400 mm, these reservoirs show great foresight and a civilisation that was determined to thrive even in diversity.
A thing about Dholavira that I thought was most exciting was the archaeological find of what researchers believe is the world’s oldest signboard. Made from gypsum, each hieroglyph or symbol on it is about 37 centimetres high and the board on which the letters were inscribed is about three metres long. The letters are from a language that is not yet deciphered by archaeologists, but they probably spell the name of the king and other details of the shop the sign represented. Sadly, this is not kept in view for visitors. But a stop at the museum will give you an idea of the lettering. The museum also exhibits a collection of pot shards, seals, urns, and other finds from the dig. A graduated scale made from animal bone; terracotta figurines; ornaments made in gold, silver, copper, and shell; and a vessel of chlorite schist and some other antiquities of West Asian origin indicate Dholavira’s trade links with Mesopotamia and other ancient civilisations of the time. The Kutch Fossil Park nearby can be another interesting stop if you’re interested in petrified wood fossils from the Jurassic period (from 187 million to 176 million years ago)! In the right season, you might even spot flamingos on the surrounding mud flats here.
Where to stay: For the first time his year, a Tent City has been created by Evoke Experiences at Dholavira. Operational from November to March, its 150 premium tents will be the perfect base to explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Dholavira. A clubhouse with indoor games and a wellness-focused spa promises luxury, whereas their onsite Archaeology Museum and Excavation Site will allow you to immerse yourself in the Dholavira experience.
Evoke Experiences has just launched Evoke Dholavira, which will be open year-round. Think air-conditioned cottages, a swimming pool, and an on-site restaurant that will bring alive the region’s vibrant flavours and traditions. You can avail of guided tours of the Dholavira archaeological site, stargazing under pristine desert skies, nature walks through the surrounding landscapes, and workshops on Kutchi handicrafts such as Ajrakh block printing and intricate woodwork.
shop the best travel experiences here
(Feature Image Credit: Ninara/Flickr)
Related: Must-See Places In Karnataka, India: Coastal Bliss, Ancient History, Hidden Gems And More
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
In the Archaeological Museum in Lothal, you can see their red mica pottery, jewellery made of gold and semi-precious stones, terracotta seals, and other objects of daily use.
While you can visit any of the other sites, they are not yet tourist friendly and do not have proper facilities for staying or sightseeing.
There are knowledgeable people at the site, who can do a walkthrough with you if they are not busy.
There are several. The Adalaj ni Vav is another stunning stepwell, as is the Rani Ki Vav at Patan. The sun temple at Modhera is not far from Ahmedabad as well.
Written By
Priya Pathiyan
A chronicler of all things culture and lifestyle. Priya\'s forte is fresh perspective on everything. ..Read More
