x-default

Getty Images

Champaner

Gujarat & Diu


The evocative ruins of the one-time capital of Sultan Mahmud Begada today stand as testament to Champaner's brief period of 15th-century glory. When Champaner was captured by Mughal emperor Humayun in 1535, the Gujarati capital reverted to Ahmedabad, and Champaner fell into ruin. The heart of this historic site is the citadel, whose most impressive features are its 16th-century monumental mosques (no longer used for worship), with their beautiful blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture.

The huge Jami Masjid, just outside the citadel’s east gate, has a wonderful carved entrance porch that leads into a lovely courtyard surrounded by a pillared corridor. The prayer hall has two tall central minarets, further superb stone carving, multiple domes, finely latticed windows, and seven mihrabs (prayer niches) along the back wall.

Other beautiful mosques include the Saher ki Masjid, behind the ticket office inside the citadel, which was probably the private royal mosque, and the Kevda Masjid, 300m north of the citadel and about 600m west of the Jami Masjid. Here you can climb narrow stairs to the roof, and higher up the minarets, to spot other mosques even further out in the countryside – Nagina Masjid, 500m north, with no minarets but exquisite geometric carving, particularly on the tomb next to it, and Lila Gumbaj ki Masjid, 800m east, on a high platform and with a fluted central dome. The twin minarets resembling factory chimneys, about 1km west, adorn the Brick Minar ki Masjid, a rare brick tomb.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Gujarat & Diu attractions

1. Pavagadh

2.11 MILES

This scenic hilltop may have been fortified as early as the 8th century. Today, throngs of pilgrims ascend Pavagadh to worship at the important Kalikamata…

2. Tambekar Wada

25.03 MILES

This multistoreyed wooden town house is a typical Maratha mansion that was once the residence of Bhau Tambekar, diwan of Baroda (1849–54). Inside are…

3. Sayaji Bagh

25.28 MILES

The centrepiece of the city, Sayaji Bagh is a wonderful landscaped park with trees (some labelled), lawns and flower beds. But for the less green-fingered…

4. Baroda Museum & Picture Gallery

25.32 MILES

Within Sayaji Bagh park, this museum houses a diverse collection, much of it gathered by Maharaja Sayajirao III, including statues and carvings from…

5. Laxmi Vilas Palace

25.68 MILES

Still the residence of Vadodara’s royal family, Laxmi Vilas was built in full-throttle 19th-century Indo-Saracenic flourish at a cost of ₹6 million – an…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "india/champaner-pavagadh/attractions/champaner/a/poi-sig/1294591/1329499",
      "destination": "Gujarat-&-Diu",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "India",
      "region": "Gujarat-&-Diu",
      "position": "superzone"
    }