Bhadra Fort is the original citadel of the city, built by Ahmad Shah I in 1411 when he founded Ahmedabad. The fort wall enclosed a royal precinct of palaces, mosques, gardens, and barracks; the principal palace Aazam Palace and the Bhadrakali Temple still stand within the walls. The main gate carries some of the finest medieval Islamic stone carving in the city.
Today the fort precinct is a busy public square with a vibrant vegetable market, the historic Teen Darwaza triple gateway leading off to the east, and clusters of tea stalls. The restored watchtower can be climbed for a roof-level view of the old city — minarets, domes, and the tangle of pol lanes stretching east.