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Poonch Fort In Jammu

Jammu, enriched with historical places, including temples, forts, palaces, parks, and many other structures, is visited by thousands of tourists every year who come from around the world. While Jammu is the land of temples and summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, it is also blessed with the pristine beauty of land, mountains, and waterbodies. Those who came to Jammu loved it so much that most of them settled down and built their life here since ancient times. Poonch Fort in Jammu is one such remarkable construction travelers encountered in Poonch District, representing three different architecture styles. Poonch fort is identified as one of the glorious and rich forts in Jammu and Kashmir, which was used until the 2005 earthquake.

Situated in Poonch district 230 kilometers away from Jammu city, Poonch Fort or Poonch Quila construction represents Mughal, Sikh, and Dogra architecture though dominated by Mughal Architecture. Poonch Fort is sprawled across the 7533 sq. mt. of an area on a small hill in Poonch town.

History of Poonch Fort in Jammu and Kashmir

The foundation of the Poonch fort was laid in 1713 AD by Raja Abdul Razaq Khan. Yet, the actual construction was done by his son Raja Rustom Khan from 1760 to 1787 AD. The Architectural style used for the fort was Mughal, and it flaunts at the fort parapet on the south wall, which was damaged during the earthquake of 2005. The northeast side of the fort reflects the structures mostly built during Sikh Period. Significant buildings of that section were made by Diwan Moti Ram or Misar Diwan Chand. At the same time, the main building, including Durban Hall, was built during the Dogra period under the rule of Raja Dhyan Singh's heirs. Darbar hall exhibits European architecture, which Raja Moti Singh built from 1850 to 1892. Raja Baldev Singh made Poonch fort the empire's secretariat after Succeeding Raja Moti Singh and shifted official residency to Moti Mahal. The fort houses six buildings, including few recent structures along with Mosque, Temple, and Gurudwara.

Due to Partition in 1947 and earthquake in 2005, the Poonch fort was severely damaged, and now it remains as the historical attraction for travelers who visit Jammu and Kashmir.

Timings, entry fees to visit Poonch Fort in Jammu

No entry fees are charged to visit Poonch Fort in Jammu and Kashmir.

Timings to visit Poonch Fort in Jammu is from 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM every day, and it takes around 1 to 2 hours to explore the fort.

Best season to visit Poonch Fort in Jammu and Kashmir

The best time to visit Poonch Fort in Jammu is from October to May as the climate is pleasant and roads are accessible without much trouble. Though the months of December to February could be much colder with moderate to heavy snowfall, it is advised to check with weather and road conditions in advance to avoid any hindrance.

Monsoons from July to September could result in moderate to heavy rainfall, and traveling could be difficult.

How to reach Poonch Fort in Jammu and Kashmir

Poonch fort is situated in Poonch district, which is a 230 kilometers drive from Jammu city. To reach Poonch fort from Jammu city National highway, 144 and 144A are accessible by private and local buses, cabs, private or rental cars, usually taking around six to seven hours to reach.

To reach Jammu city, travelers can use three routes, Road, Air, and Railway from other parts of India. Nearby railway stations to Poonch fort are Jammu Tawi (235 km), Katra (229 km), Udhampur (270 km), which are connected prominently with other states of India.

Jammu Domestic Airport (237 km) and Srinagar International Airport (177 km) are nearby airports from Poonch Fort in Jammu and can be reached by Road.

National Highway 1A and National Highway 144, connected with other cities and National highways of India, are easily accessible by many local and private transport like buses, cars, cabs, and bikes.

Nearby places to visit from Poonch Fort in Jammu and Kashmir

There are many places to visit near Poonch fort in Jammu and Kashmir, which includes:

Mughal road, Pir ki Gali, Than Pir, Loran, LOC trade Centre or Chakkan da Bagh Poonch, Noori Chamb, Nandishool, Mandi, Rani Park, Shiv Khori, Akhnoor Fort, Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, Bhairo Baba Temple, Bhimgarh Fort, Bahu Fort, Peer Kho Cave, Surinsar Lake, Purmandal, Baba Dhansar, Baba Dhansar, Manda Zoo, Baag-e-Bahu, Sheesh Mahal, Rajender Park, and many other places which tourists should explore.