There are couples of forts around Kolhapur like Panhala, Vishalgad, Mahipalgad, Kalanandigad. Panhala, where you can yet view three large buildings called the Amberkhana - a granary with the capacity to store 50,000 pounds of corn - is now a hill-station. Panhala is situated 20 km from the industrial city of Kolhapur. Panhala is a charming hill resort Situated at an altitude of 977.2 m. which makes for a complete holiday. With its hoary heritage, Panhala provides the right locale.

It was built by King Bhoja between 1178-1209 and is the largest of all Deccan forts. The innermost citadel is enclosed by a strong wall over 7 Km in length fortified by bastions. Panhala's historic fort throws up memories of Chhatrapati Shivaji, It was from here that Shivaji beleaguered for over four months, escaped one rainy night to Vishalgad, while his faithful general Baji Prabhu Deshpande laid down his life holding down the forces of Siddi Johar at a narrow pass, since christened Pavankhind.

It was here in the same building, Sajja Kothi, built by Ibrahim Adil-Shah in 1500 AD, that Shivaji imprisoned his errant son Sambhaji who escaped... right into the arms of his father's foes.

Today it is redolent with memories of Shivaji. Not surprising, though, considering that barring his capitals at Rajgad and later Raigad, and Shivneri, where he spent his childhood, Panhala is the only fort where Shivaji spent more than 500 days. It was Maratha State capital until 1782 and in 1827 it went to the British.Besides, there's the Sambhaji temple Someshwar temple, Teen Darwaza, Raj Dindi


How to Reach Panhala

Reaching Panhala by Bus :-There are frequent buses between Kolhapur and Panhala. Mumbai to Panhala is 428-km via Kolhapur. Drive from Mumbai can get one to Panhala in 8 hours. There are regular buses and luxury coaches that run between Kolhapur and the Panhala Fort.

Reaching Panhala by Train :-The Kolhapur Railway Station is the nearest railway station and is only 26 km from Panhala.