People in Mumbai always refer to the “Fort” in the southern part of the island city. The fort was, in fact, built by the British East India Company, which took possession from the Portuguese in 1668. Construction of the Fort, which was to be the centre of the trading port, was commenced soon thereafter and was completed by 1716. The Fort had three strongly fortified entrance gates known as the Apollo Gate, Church Gate and Bazaar Gate.

Within the walls of the Fort was a castle surrounded by a settlement of residential and commercial houses, shops, churches and temples. The Bombay Fort was demolished in the 1860s. However, The area formerly enclosed by its bastions and moat, together with the Esplanade, is still referred to as the Fort area. Very few traces of the Fort remain today.

When you walk around the precinct, you will see an astonishing variety of historic landmarks and buildings constructed in different styles of architecture and built in a variety of building materials that include local Indian stones like Kurla, Hemnagar and Porbunder. Time brings change and many of the street names that once indicated various facets of the Fort’s history have now vanished. For example, names like Armenian Lane, Gunbow Street, Ropewalk Lane, Rampart Row, Churchgate and Baazargate Streets.

In April 1995, the Fort area was declared a protected precinct under the Heritage Regulations formulated by the Urban Development Department of the Maharashtra Government.

Fort Walk –  Horniman Circle, The Well & Fountain at Horniman Circle, Bombay Samachar Building, St. Thomas Cathedral, Elphinstone Building, Brady House, Ready Money Mansion, Flora Fountain, Dadabhai Naoroji Statue, Nagindas Master Road, Bombay Samachar Marg, Stock Exchange Building, Government House.

The Dockyard Road - Old Custom House, Bhagat Singh Marg, Dockyard Wall, Great Western Building, KR Cama Institute, St. Andrew’s Church

The Gateway Precinct Walk -  Danraj Mahal, Atomic Energy Commission Office, Yacht Club, Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Hotel, Equestrian Statue, Shivaji Statue, Apollo Bunder, Brady’s Flats, Cusrow Baug, Electric House, Weselyan Church.

Kala Ghoda Walk -  The Unique Circle, Wellington Fountain, Maharashtra State Police Headquarters, Regal Cinema, Indian Mercantile Building, Institute of Science, Prince of Wales Museum, Jehangir Art Gallery, Elphinstone College, David Sassoon Mechanics Institute & Library, Army & Navy Building.

Crawford Market Walk -  The Presidency Magistrate’s Court, Azad Maidan, Dhobi Talao, Metro Cinema, Framji Cowasji Institute, St Xavier’s School & College, Lohar Chawl & Abdul Rehman Street

D.N. Road Walk - St. Andrew’s & Columba’s Church, Bombay Gymkhana, Esplanade House, Cathedral & John Connon Junior School, Alice Building Arch, JN Petit Institute & Library. Fort House, Hongkong Bank, ANZ Grindlays Bank, New India Assurance Company Building.