Jaisalmer Fort, Jaisalmer, India

Jaisalmer Fort: Khejer Para, Manak Chowk, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001, India
Date Picture Taken: Feb, 2026

Jaisalmer Fort was built in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal, a Rajput ruler of the Bhati dynasty who also founded the city of Jaisalmer. The massive fort rises from Trikuta Hill and is built from the same golden-yellow sandstone that gives Jaisalmer its nickname, the “Golden City.”

The fort served as a royal residence, military stronghold, and center of government. Its location also helped the rulers control important caravan trade routes crossing the Thar Desert.

What makes Jaisalmer Fort especially unusual is that it remains a living fort. Thousands of people still live and work within its walls, among narrow winding streets, houses, Jain and Hindu temples, shops, restaurants, and guesthouses. Because of this, walking inside the fort can feel more like exploring an old town than visiting a historic fortress.

Rawal Jaisal was a 12th-century Rajput ruler of the Bhati dynasty and the founder of Jaisalmer. The Bhatis were a Rajput clan that controlled parts of the desert region of what is now western Rajasthan.

In 1156, Jaisal established a new capital on Trikuta Hill and built what became Jaisalmer Fort. The elevated location provided a strong defensive position in the harsh Thar Desert.

Jaisalmer also occupied an important position along caravan trade routes connecting western India with regions farther west and north. The Bhati rulers benefited from and protected this trade, helping Jaisalmer develop into a prosperous desert city.

Jaisalmer Fort was designed not simply as a military fortress, but as a fortified city and royal center. From its early history, the fort contained the ruler’s palace, temples, residences, shops, and other buildings needed by the community.

Over the centuries, more people settled within its walls, creating the dense network of houses, narrow streets, shops, temples, and public spaces.

That is why Jaisalmer Fort feels so different from places such as Mehrangarh Fort—it is essentially a fortified town that is still alive today, rather than primarily a former royal and military complex preserved as a monument.

After exploring Jaisalmer Fort, we made our way through the narrow streets and headed toward the exit.