A concentration of largely unexcavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape which includes prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital, and remains of the 16th-century capital of the state of Gujarat. The site also includes, among other vestiges, fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, agricultural structures and water installations, from the 8th to 14th centuries. The Kalikamata Temple on top of Pavagadh Hill is considered to be an important shrine, attracting large numbers of pilgrims throughout the year. The site is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city.

Brief synthesis Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, located in the Panchmahal District of Gujarat State in north-western India, features a concentration of archaeological, historical, and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape. Focused on Pavagadh Hill, a volcanic formation that rises 800 m above the surrounding plains, the property includes the remains of settlements dating from the prehistoric to medieval periods, the latter represented by a hill-fortress of an early (14th-century) Hindu capital and the remains of an Islamic state capital founded in the 15th century. The large property, comprised of 12 separate areas, contains the remains of fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, and water-retaining installations, as well as the living village of Champaner. This area was conquered in the 13th century by the Khichi Chauhan Rajputs, who built their first settlement on top of Pavagadh Hill and fortification walls along the plateau below the hill. The earliest built remains from this period include temples, and amongst the important vestiges are water-retention systems. The Turkish rulers of Gujarat conquered the hill-fortress in 1484. With Sultan Mehmud Begda’s decision to make this his capital, the most important historic phase of this site began. The settlement of Champaner at the foot of the hill was rebuilt and remained the capital of Gujarat until 1536, when it was abandoned. Except for the structural remains of the main buildings and forts, most parts of the capital city remain buried and unexcavated, though the planning and integration of the essential features of a city – royal estates, utilities, religious edifices, and spaces – can be seen and interpreted. Champaner-Pavagadh’s 14th-century temples and water-retaining installations, together with the later capital city’s religious, military, and agricultural structures, represent both Hindu and Muslim architecture. Champaner’s importance as a…