Tamil Nadu’s Gingee Fort inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

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The Gingee Fort in Villupuram district, known as the ‘Troy of the East’, along with 11 other forts that make up the Maratha Military Landscapes, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Friday, July 11, 2025, a move that brings global recognition and the prospect of increased international tourism. 

The decision was taken during the ongoing 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) being held in Paris.

According to a press release: “The proposal was sent to the consideration of World Heritage Committee in January 2024, and after a rigorous 18-month-long process, involving several technical meetings with the advisory bodies and visit of ICOMOS’s mission to review the sites, this historic decision was taken by the members of the World Heritage Committee today evening at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris.”

The Maratha Military Landscapes of India includes 12 components distributed across diverse geographic regions. Of these, 11 sites are in Maharashtra. The Gingee Fort in Villupuram was the lone aspirant from Tamil Nadu for the World Heritage Site tag.

History of the fort

The ‘Troy of the East’ located atop three hillocks — Rajagiri, Krishnagiri, and Chandragiri — was considered impregnable and was a symbol of the State’s glorious past. It had witnessed the rise and fall of successive empires spanning centuries.

Built by Ananta Kon of the Konar Dynasty in 1,200 CE, the ownership of the fort changed hands several times. It was under the possession of several empires, such as the Vijayanagar Nayaks, Marathas, Mughals, Nawabs, the French, and the British.

‘A big recognition’

Villupuram Collector Shiek Abdul Rahman said the World Heritage Site tag for Gingee Fort was “a big recognition and a proud moment for the country and Tamil Nadu, in particular.”

“The recognition will benefit historians, academicians. and tourists as well. Historians will try to come to Gingee and academically, there will be a push. It will also help more people know about Gingee in the academic world,” he said.

He added, “People may, in the future, plan circuits and visit Gingee, alongside Mamallapuram. After the pandemic, the footfall of international tourists had taken a hit at Gingee. It is yet to pick up. This recognition is now a watershed moment, and there will be more tourist footfalls, helping the local economy and other conservation efforts.”

Courtesy : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/tamil-nadus-gingee-fort-inscribed-as-unesco-world-heritage-site/article69803281.ece#goog_rewarded

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