Inscribing Gingee Fort in UNESCO World Heritage list is proud moment for TN: CM

Chennai: The popular historical site in Tamil Nadu’s Villupuram district, the Gingee Fort known as the Troy of the East, inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list was a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and its enduring cultural heritage, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Saturday.

The ancient fort, located about 40 km from Villupuram and about 157 km from Chennai, attracts tourists. It is part of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India and the only one in the state.

"Delighted that #GingeeFort, famously known as the “Troy of the East”, has been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India," the chief minister said in a post on the social media platform 'X'.

This majestic hill fortress now joined Tamil Nadu’s proud list of UNESCO sites including the Great Living Chola Temples, the monuments at Māmallapuram, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Western Ghats, he said.

"A proud moment for Tamil Nadu and its enduring cultural heritage," he added.

The fort along with 11 other structures in Maharashtra forms a serial nomination portraying the military architecture and strategic design of the Maratha empire. Its recognition was announced at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris.

An expert from the International Council on Monuments and Sites, Hwajong Lee, visited the site on September 27, last year, for the assessment.

The fort existed for several hundreds of years and had served many ruling dynasties including the Vijayanagara, Marathas, Nawabs of Arcot, Tipu Sultan, the French and the British.

The Kon dynasty laid the foundation for the Gingee Fort in 1190 CE.