At the heart of Gwalior is Gwalior Fort. The Fort dominates the city and had a reputation of being one of the most invincible forts of India. It occupies the plateau of an isolated rock about 100 meters (300 feet) high. The hill is steepended to make it virtually unscalable and is surrounded by high walls which enclose buildings from several periods. A steep road winds upwards to the fort, flanked by statues of the Jain tirthankaras, carved into the rock face. The magnificent outer walls of the fort still stand, two miles in length and 11 meters (35 feet) high. The original fort was founded by Bargajur Kings, and is among the most interesting examples of early Hindu work of its class in India. Another palace of even greater extent was added to this in 1516. Mughal emperors later added palaces to these two, making the whole complex unequaled for picturesqueness and interest by anything of their class in central India.
To the east of the city center is the tomb of Mian Tansen (1506-1589) who is considered among the greatest composer-musicians in Hindustani classical music. He was an extraordinary gifted vocalist, known for a large number of compositions, and also an instrumentalist. The tomb is a magnificent example of early Mughal architecture. Right next to it is the Gujari Mahal, built by the king Man Singh Tomar for his 9th queen. The outer structure of Gujari Mahal has survived in an almost total state of preservation; today the interior has been converted into Archaeological Museum housing rare antiquities. Close to the heart of the city is the Jai Vilas Palace, patterned on the style of the Palais de Versailles. Part of it is open to the public, and gives a glimpse into the life of the royal family.
