Bala Hisar Fort

Bala Hisar Fort

The exact date of this ancient fort's construction is uncertain, but a Chinese Buddhist monk and explorer named Xuanzang first mentioned this fort in the 7th century. Besides serving its primary purpose of defence against the enemy's attack, the fort served different purposes in different eras. Ahmed Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire and modern Afghanistan, used it as an imperial residence. Bala Hisar means 'elevated or high fort.' By the Mughals' named Samir Garh by the Sikhs and Bagram Fort, the fort's name was replaced again by Bala Hisar Fort. Currently, Bala Hisar Fort is being used as the Headquarters of Frontier Corps, Pakistan. With its rich history, the fort takes you on a study tour of different eras, and you become so engrossed in the past that you lose track of time and space. Besides exploring other parts of this ancient fort, people visit the museum of Frontier Corps, where they can see the various uniforms of Frontier Corps since its inception and different types of weapons.