Introduction: Salimgarh Fort was constructed on an island of River Yamuna in the year 1546, by Islam Shah Suri, also called Salim Shah, son and successor of Sher Shah Suri. The Salimgarh Fort in Old Delhi is covered by solid rubble masonry walls and is polygonal in shape to some extent. The entry to the fort is allowed from its gate on the northern side. This north gate is also known as Bahadur Shahi Gate as it was constructed by Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1854 to 1855. The gate is built of brick masonry with red sandstone at places. The fort has several lofty citadels the ruins of which can be seen in the present times.

History of Salimgarh Fort: The construction of Salimgarh Fort started in 1546, but when only the walls of the fort were completed, Salim Shah suddenly had an untimely death. Due to this mishap the construction of the fort was immediately stopped. Afterwards numerous Mughal Kings camped down in this area before Shahjahanabad was formed. King Humayun stayed here for three days before retaking Delhi in 1555. In the year 1622, Emperor Jahangir constructed a bridge and linked it to the main land. But it was later removed by the British who built a railway track through it. Later on the next emperor, Shah Jahan connected this fort with the Red Fort and during the reign of Aurangzeb, the fort got converted into a state prison. After the war of 1857, the British army kept its artillery units in this fort and continued to use it as a prison. In 1945 the major leaders of the Indian National Army were kept imprisoned here. The Salimgarh Fort has now been renamed as Swatantrata Senani Smarak (Freedom Fighter's Memorial). The memorial has the INA uniforms, few snaps and some personal stuff of the soldiers and freedom fighters.

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