Shaniwar Wada:

About Shaniwarwada:

Shaniwar wada is one of the historical fort in the Pune. It is situated near the
Mula-Mutha River in KasbaPeth. The construction of the fort was started in
1730, by the rulers of Maratha empire, Peshwas. It was the seat of them.
Peshwas were the rulers of Maratha Empire, until, they surrender themselves
to British that is till 1818. It was named Shaniwar Wada from the Marathi
words, Shanivar means Saturday and Wada is a general huge residence
complex. It was completely built by Teak and Stone. All the teak and stones
were brought from the jungles of junnar(village in pune) and the nearby
quarries of chinchwad, which is a town in Pune. The construction was
completed in 1732. Later on,Peshwas made several additions including the
fortification walls with bastions and gates court halls and other buildings,
fountains and reservoirs. Currently,fortification wall has five gateways and
nine bastion towers, enclosing a garden complex with the foundations of the
original buildings.

Lal Mahal:

About Shaniwarwada:
Shivaji's father Shahaji who was a Sardar in the Bijapur Sultanat, was given
territories in Pune. At that time he was residing in Bangalore. He decided to send
his wife Jijabai and his son Shivaji to Pune. In 1636 AD for their residence he built a
palace for them, to which he named Lal Mahal. Shivaji stayed here for many years
until he conquered his first fort. Lal Mahal was renovated by Pune Municipal
Corporation in 1988.

It is a red brick structure standing very prominently in the heart of the city. There is

a statue of "Jijamata" ( Shivaji's Mother ). There is the impressive representation,

showing young Shivaji plowing the land with a golden plough, with mother Jijabai
and Guru Dadoji Konddev looking at him. This place is just next to Shaniwarwada.
Four Umbrellas on terrace is the attraction of the Mahal. This is the same place
where Shivaji Maharaj cut Shaistekhan's fingers when he was trying to run away
from one of the windows of the Lal Mahal. Pictorial representation of incidents from
Shivaji Maharaja's life could be seen on the walls of this palace. Jijamata Garden has
also been made in this place. Kids senior citizens spend their evenings happily here.

Aga Khan Palace:

About Aga Khan Palace:

This palace was built in 1892 by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III. He was
elected as the President of the League of Nations in 1938 and was well renowned in
the field of politics and sports. The palace was later donated to India by Aga Khan IV
in 1969 as a mark of respect to Gandhiji and his philosophy.
The Agakhan Palace Pune is a national monument of Indias freedom movement.
Following the launch of Quit India movement in 1942, Gandhiji, his wife Kasturba,
his secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were interned at the palace from August 9, 1942
to May 6, 1944. Mahadevbhai and Kasturba passed away while in captivity at the
Agakhan palace and their samadhis are located in the campus.Situated near the
River Mula, the palace is a simple memorial to Gandhi and his life.

Parvati mandir:

About Parvati mandir:

The Parvati Temple is a good vantage point for enjoying city views. A steep
climb of some hundred steps brings you to this shrine. The third Peshwa,
Balaji Bajirao alias Nana Saheb built the temple, in 1749. It is a good
example of the Maratha style of temple architecture. This fairly popular
rendezvous spot for Punaikars also has four smaller temples, dedicated to
Ganesha, Bhavani, Vishnu and Surya.
Parvati is one of the favorite relaxation spots for the residents of Pune. The
height of Parvati hill is 2100 feet above sea level and 260 feet from the city
level. The hill offers an aerial view of the city and the most picturesque scene
in the early hours of the day. Parvati hill houses one big and three small
temples.
Parvati is the daily visiting place for a number of citizens and for many
people, going to Parvati (103 steps) forms a part of their daily exercise
regimen. Being the highest point in Pune and having conveniently located
observation points, the beautiful panoramic view of Pune city leaves visitors
spellbound. Beautiful sunrise and sunset views are like the icing on the cake.