15 Historical Cities In India Founded By Ancient Kings

• Patliputra (now known as Patna) was founded by the Magadha king Ajatshatru way back in 490 BCE
• Agra which is home to the Taj Mahal was founded by Sikander Lodhi of Lodhi dynasty, he also made Agra his capital

India, the world’s most populated country is home to 4,000+ cities. Some cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore are known for extreme development while some cities are known for their beautiful history. Here we’ll talk about some historical cities in India which were founded by ancient kings. Beautiful history of these cities can be traced by monuments and scriptures dating back to ancient times.

Patna (Founder – Ajatshatru)

At present the capital of Bihar, in ancient Patliputra was the capital of the Magadha empire. Ajatshatru, one of the notable kings of Magadha empire founded this city way back in 490 BCE. He wanted to shift his capital from hilly Rajagrha (Rajgir at present). So he chose a site situated on the bank of the river Ganga and fortified it.

Even after Magadha empire Patna continued to be the capital of successive empires like Maurya, Shunga and Gupta. Following this Patna is also the capital of Bihar.

Agra (Founder – Sikander Lodhi)

Home to the Taj Mahal, Agra was founded by Sikander Lodhi of Lodhi dynasty. But its story dates way back to the legends of Krishna and Mahabharata. In 1504-1505 Agra was reestablished by Sikander Lodhi however the golden period of this city started during Mughal empire. The other part of this city was founded by Akbar in 1558 on the right bank of Yamuna river.

Thanjavur (Founder – Vijayalaya)

One of the most important historical cities of South India is Thanjavur. This city was founded by Vijayalaya of Chola dynasty. Brihadeeswara Temple is located in the center of Thanjavur and it was constructed by Rajaraja 1 (one of the greatest kings of Chola dynasty).

The structure on top of the Brihadeeswars Temple weighs 80 tones and still for more than 1000 years it is standing tall. The huge statue of Nandi (The Shiva’s Bull) itself weighs 20 tones. This temple is a fine example of Dravidian architecture which is still immensely popular in Tamil Nadu.

Hyderabad (Founder – Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah)

Located in present day Telangana, Hyderabad is also an important historical city which was founded by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah in 1591. In 1687 Mughals took control of this city. The city was built around the Charminar, it is now at the center of this city. Hyderabad used to be the trading center of diamonds and pearls with rich cultural heritage that continues till date.

Delhi (Founder – Anangpal Tomar)

In 1052 Delhi was founded by Anangpal Tomar as Dhilika. He was a ruler from Kannauj and his reign was from Agra to Hansi (present day Haryana). One can trace the history of Tomars by Lal Kot Fort and sculptors of temple in Qutub Minar complex which is believed to be constructed on temple.

Udaipur (Founder – Maharana Uday Singh II)

One of the most beautiful and historical cities in Rajasthan is Udaipur. This city is also known as the city of lakes. Udaipur was founded by Maharana Uday Singh II who was the 4th son of Rana Sanga. A great fighter Maharana Pratap succeeded him as he was his son. He took a massive fight against Akbar in the Battle of Haldighati in 1576. The city of Udaipur is named after Uday Singh II.

Jaisalmer (Founder – Rawal Jaisal)

Known for its famous yellowish sandstone Jaisalmer is also known as “The Golden City”. This historical city was founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156. This city lies in the heart of the Thar Desert. ” Jaisalmer” literally means hill forts of Jaisal.

Bikaner (Founder – Rao Bika)

Rao Bika Rathore is the founder of Bikaner. This city was founded by Rao Bika in Jangladesh region of Rajasthan. In 1488 Rao Bika named Bikaner. Bikaner was the 6th largest princely state to merge with India with efforts led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Lucknow (Founder – Asaf-Ud-Daula)

Mirza Asaf-ud-Daula was the nawab wazir of Oudh. After death of his father Shuja-Ud-Daula he became nawab at age of 26 with the help of Britishers. In 1775 he transferred his capital from Faizabad to Lucknow. Lucknow is often known as the city of Nawabs.

Jaipur (Founder – Sawai Jai Singh II)

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II founded Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. It is one of the most beautiful historical cities in India. He is known for building Jantar Mantar in different places including his capital. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II took keen interest in astronomy, mathematics and architecture.

Aurangabad (Founder – Malik Ambar)

Previously known as Khadki, Aurangabad was founded by Malik Ambar in 1610. Malik Ambar was born in present day Ethiopia and he served as the Peshwa of Ahmednagar sultanate. He pioneered guerrilla warfare which was used by Marathas to a greater extent. After annexing it In 1636 Aurangzeb renamed this city to Aurangabad in 1653.

Gwalior (Founder – Suraj Sen)

Located in Madhya Pradesh Gwalior was founded by a king named Suraj Sen. He was healed by a deadly disease after a man named Gwalip gave him a drink. So he decided to name a city after him which is known as Gwalior. Famous Gwalior Fort here gives some details about numerous kings who administered the city from here.

Srinagar (Founder – Ashoka)

Known as Srinagari in ancient times, Srinagar was founded by Ashoka, the great Mauryan king under whom the territory of India expanded to a great extent. On its peak the Mauryan Empire reached Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and even Nepal which is showed in the akhand bharat map installed inside India’s new parliament. It was Ashoka who made Buddhism popular in Srinagar valley and it continues to exist till date.

Jodhpur (Founder – Rao Jodha)

Rao Jodha Rathore is the founder of Jodhpur. A beautiful historical city in Rajasthan. He is known for excellent military career. In 1459 he founded Jodhpur. A man advised Rao Jodha to move his capital to hilltop for safety following which Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur and chose a hilly place for the construction of Mehrangarh Fort.

Ahmedabad (Founder – Sultan Ahmed Shah)