Raigad sits on a freestanding rock plateau roughly 820 metres above the Konkan valleys — sheer cliffs on three sides, with a single approach path of more than 1,400 steps. Shivaji chose the spot in the 1670s and made it the capital of his new Maratha kingdom, crowning himself here as Chhatrapati in 1674. He died at Raigad six years later.
What remains are the foundations of the royal palace, the queens' quarters, the council chamber (Rajsabha) where the coronation was held, the Maha Darwaja gate, and the Jagdishwar Temple with Shivaji's samadhi (memorial). The main market street, with stone shop platforms on either side, runs along the spine of the plateau. The British destroyed almost everything wooden in 1818, but the stonework and the layout are extraordinary.
A ropeway from the base shaves the steep climb down to a few minutes; allow at least four hours on top to walk the whole site. The views over the Sahyadri ridges and the haze of the Konkan plain are some of the best in Maharashtra.