One of the lesser known forts in
Delhi, Salimgarh (literally meaning Salim's Fort) was built by Salim Shah, son of Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri. Salim Shah ruled Delhi for nine years till his death in 1554. An island fort encircled by
Yamuna River, Salimgarh is adjacent to
Red Fort in
Old Delhi. Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb's eldest daughter Zeb-un-nissa, a poetess, spent the last 21 years of her life in Salimgarh. She was imprisoned by her father for corresponding with her brother Akbar, a rebel prince. Salimgarh Fort was also used by the British as a prison for Indian freedom fighters. After independence the prison was renamed as Swatantrata Senani Smarak or Freedom Fighters' Memorial.
