Medak Fort is a heritage structure and a popular tourist attraction of Medak town. The fort is of immense historical and architectural importance in the region of Telangana. The fort was built during 12th century under the reign of the Kakatiya ruler, Pratapa Rudra and it was initially called ‘MethukuDurgam’ in Telugu.

It served as a command post for the Kakatiyas and later for the Qutub Shahis. The fort also has a 17th-century Mosque in its premises built by the Qutub Shahis, as well as granaries. The fort is located towards the north of the city and is well accessible by road transport. It is a citadel that was built on a hillock and had served as vantage point for the Kakatiya rulers of ancient India.

It is elevated at a height of about 90 metres from the ground level and is spread across 100 acres on the hilly region. Medak Fort has three main entrances, namely the "Prathama Dwaram", the "SimhaDwaram" which features two snarling lions at the top of these entrances while the "GajaDwaram", or the Elephant's Entrance features a sculpture where two elephants are majestically interlocked on both sides of this entrance.

The main entrance features the double-headed "Gandabherundam", characteristic of the Kakatiyas. Here, one can spot a 17th-century cannon, which is 3.2 metres long, with a trident etched skillfully on it. This fortress makes use of the natural topography, as the rocky surface offers a natural defense. The ancient fortof Medak also houses a small lake, a barrack and a warehouse.

How to reach

Medak fort is located in Medak town, which is accessible by road from Hyderabad, situated nearly 96 km away. It is located about one-and-a-half-hour drive from Hyderabad city.