The monuments of Surat speak volumes of its long and rich history. Though the foundations of the modern city can be traced back to the early16th century, the fort found here dates as long back as 1373, when it was built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq III. The Portuguese assailed and burnt the town in 1512, 1530 and 1531. In 1572 it fell to Akbar, and under the rule of the Mughal dynasty it became one of the premier mercantile cities of India, the centre of early European influence. Surat has a long, and action- filled history to look back on. In 1612 the Mughal emperor sent a firman allowing the English to trade at Surat. The Dutch opened a factory in 1616 and the French in 1668. In 1664 Chhatrapati Shivaji sacked the city. In 1837 two events occurred which dealt a major blow to its pre-eminence. A huge fire destroyed the entire centre of the city and, in the same year, the river burst its banks and devastated the city and surrounding countryside. Many of the ancient monuments of Surat have been worn away due to all these changes, and the ones still standing have been silent witnesses to this turbulent historical past.
A number of monuments are found at Surat in the form of forts, cemeteries, temples and even a castle. The Surat Castle, near the Tapati Bridge, is one of the oldest monuments of Surat. It was built in 1546 by Khudawan Khan, an Albanian Christian. It was built on the site of an earlier fort constructed by the Delhi Sultan, Firuz Shah Tughlaq. The walls of the castle are four metre thick, and it has battlements that reach 12 metres high. The joints were filled with molten lead in order to make it more impenetrable and iron strips were used to bind the various elements and keep them in place. The Eastern wing contains an imposing gateway. To the east of the castle is the Victoria Garden and Anglican Church, consecrated by Bishop Hebenn in l825.
The old fort at Surat was built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the 14th century. It was intended to serve as a defense fortification against the uprisings of the Bhil tribes. The architecture of the fort is impressive, furnished with strong walls and iron bars.
The Sardar Vallabhai Patel Museum was established in 1890. It contains various exhibits from the Mughal and British period. There are a number of antiques found here such as metal, sandalwood, porcelain, terracotta and wooden antiquities. Also displayed here are a number of oil paintings, miniatures, manuscripts, textiles and other such items which are a rich collection of the city`s historical legacy. There is also an open air theatre, the Rangupavan, which can accommodate about 4000 people at a time.
A number of other interesting historical monuments are also found here, mostly the remains of an era past.
The remains of the old English factory lie close to the Mission High School at Surat. Located midway from the Kataranga Gate out of the old city is the English Factory. Nearby is the Portuguese Factory, which retains some early records. The old church site is marked by a wooden cross. Close by are the sites of the French Lodge (abandoned in 1725) and the Persian factory. The Clocktower on the Delhi Road was erected in 1871 at the expense of Khan Bahadur Barorji Merwanji Frazer.
The historical monuments of Surat, though destroyed over time, are a standing testimony to the rich history of the place.
