Revdanda Fort

Revdanda Fort is a 16th-century Portuguese coastal fortification located at the mouth of the Kundalika River in Revdanda, Raigad district, Maharashtra. Built by Captain Soj and completed around 1524, it served as a vital maritime trading post and defensive outpost known historically as Fortaleza de Chaul. The fort changed hands from the Portuguese to the Marathas in 1740 and later to the British. Today, it exists as a protected heritage site with ruins including bastions, church remnants, and stone walls surrounded by the Arabian Sea and creek.

Visitors can explore the ruins of a 16th-century Portuguese sea fort featuring thick laterite stone walls, rounded bastions, and arched gateways. The site includes remnants of an old Portuguese church and bell tower, as well as underground tunnels and cannonballs embedded in walls. A significant portion of the fort area encompasses the active Revdanda village, making some sections inaccessible. The fort offers panoramic views of the Arabian Sea and Kundalika River estuary, with direct access to the adjacent Revdanda Beach for coastal walks.

Built by Portuguese Captain Soj and completed in 1524 as Fortaleza de Chaul, the fort was a strategic maritime outpost guarding trade routes along the Konkan coast. It remained under Portuguese control until 1740 when it was captured by the Marathas under Chimaji Appa following the Treaty of Poona. The British took over in 1806, and after a brief period under the Angres in 1817, it returned to British control in 1818. The site witnessed the Battle of Chaul between Portuguese and Muslim forces for trade dominance.

The fort complex housed the Mother of God Church (A Madre de Deus) established by Franciscans around 1570-71, which became a principal landmark in the suburban area known as Campo Pequeno de Chaul. After the Maratha takeover, Peshwa Madhav Rao permitted Christians in 1764 to hold a nine-day festival with gun salutes, reflecting cultural accommodation. Revdanda is also known as Revatikshetra from the Mahabharata era, adding ancient cultural layers to its colonial history.