Uparkot is a citadel of the first order — a walled plateau rising some 20 metres above the surrounding city on sheer cliff faces, occupied continuously from the Mauryan period (3rd century BC) through the Mughal era. Inside the walls are Buddhist rock-cut caves, step wells of striking engineering, cannons, mosques, and the remains of a palace. The whole enclosure is surprisingly large and takes 2–3 hours to explore properly.
The Adi Chadi Vav, a 15th-century step well inside the fort, descends five storeys in a spiral of galleries — the engineering is extraordinary and the cool dark interior makes a welcome contrast to the heat above. The Buddhist caves nearby date from the 3rd to 5th centuries AD and contain carved pillars and meditation chambers. The Jama Masjid within the fort was built by repurposing columns from earlier Hindu and Buddhist structures. From the fort walls, the views across the city to the sacred hill of Girnar are excellent.