✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
Quick answer: Manimajra Fort is a crumbling brick fort in the middle of Manimajra market, now Sector 13 of Chandigarh, built by Gharib Dass Dhillon as the capital of the small Manimajra State. Wikipedia calls it “over 360 years old”, but its own history section points to a much later date, so the age is unsettled. Google Maps shows about 7.8 km and 15 minutes from central Chandigarh, and lists no opening hours.
This is the only fort inside Chandigarh, and it is not a managed heritage site: Wikipedia says its ownership was settled in favour of private heirs after a court case and that its condition is poor. This guide draws on two Wikipedia articles and Google Maps, and it does not repeat claims that its own sources contradict. We found no official page for the fort.
Manimajra Fort at a glance
| Detail | What we found |
|---|---|
| What it is | A ruined fort built as the capital of the Manimajra State (Wikipedia) |
| Where | 1637, near Fort Manimajra, Mohalla Araiyan Wala, Sector 13, Chandigarh 160101; plus code PR7P+QX on Google Maps |
| From central Chandigarh | About 7.8 km, roughly 15 minutes via Udyog Path on Google Maps; another route is 7.7 km |
| Age | Wikipedia says “over 360 years old” in one article, while its history sections place the fort’s rise in the 18th century or in 1821, depending on the article; see below |
| Timings and fee | Google Maps lists no hours or phone number, and we found no official timings or fee |
| Ownership | Wikipedia says the fort passed to the heirs of the last raja of Faridkot after a court case, so it appears to be private property |
| Visitor rating | 4.0 on Google Maps, about 210 reviews (21 September 2026) |
Who built it, and when?
Wikipedia’s article on the fort says it was built by Gharib Dass Dhillon of the Dhillon clan as the capital of his newly created state of 84 villages, and that he submitted to Patiala State. It opens by calling the fort over 360 years old, which would put it in the mid-17th century.
The same article, quoting the Mahan Kosh, says a local zamindar, Ghareeb Dass, conquered Mani Majra and 84 other villages in 1821 and made it the capital of his new state, while the separate Wikipedia article on Mani Majra says Gharib Dass’s son Gopal Singh took over when his father died in 1783. Those dates cannot all be right, so we do not give a founding year. The Mani Majra article adds that Gopal Singh received the title of Raja from the British in 1814, that the state ended when Raja Bhagwan Singh died without a male heir in 1866, and that the fort later passed to the Raja of Faridkot through marriage.
The Mani Majra article also credits Gopal Singh with building the Mansa Devi Temple between 1811 and 1815, a detail that matches the Shrine Board’s account in our Mansa Devi Temple guide.
Condition and what visitors report
- Condition: Wikipedia says the fort’s condition is poor and getting worse, that neighbours use the premises as a playground or for parking, and that the walls are decaying with weeds growing on them.
- Ownership and access: because the fort appears to be private property, we cannot say whether interior access is allowed. Reviewers describe finding it in the middle of the bazaar, and we would not enter without permission.
- What visitors say: one Google Maps reviewer describes stumbling on the fort while shopping and finding it magnificent despite its crumbling structures; another says people throw garbage in its premises. These are visitor comments, not official statements.
- Film and festival: Wikipedia says the fort was a filming location for Zero Dark Thirty, and a Google Maps reviewer says a Ramleela has been staged there every year for 70 years; we could not confirm the latter.
How to reach Manimajra Fort
Google Maps shows about 7.8 km and 15 minutes via Udyog Path from central Chandigarh, and a similar 7.7 km route via Udyog Path and Purv Marg. The fort is in the old market of Manimajra, which Wikipedia says was formally added to Chandigarh’s sector grid as Sector 13 in February 2020.
More forts and history nearby
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fort inside Chandigarh?
Yes. Manimajra Fort stands in the old Manimajra market, now Sector 13 of Chandigarh, though it is a ruin rather than a managed heritage site.
How old is Manimajra Fort?
Wikipedia says over 360 years old in one article, but its history sections point to an 18th-century or post-1821 date for the Manimajra State, so the sources conflict and we give no single year.
Who built Manimajra Fort?
Wikipedia says Gharib Dass Dhillon built it as the capital of his newly created state of 84 villages.
Can you go inside Manimajra Fort?
We could not confirm. Wikipedia suggests the fort is private property, and Google Maps lists no opening hours, so we would not enter without permission.
How far is Manimajra Fort from central Chandigarh?
Google Maps shows about 7.8 km and 15 minutes via Udyog Path.
Was a film shot at Manimajra Fort?
Wikipedia says the fort was used as a filming location for Zero Dark Thirty.