Altit Fort

Altit Fort

Altit Fort is an ancient fort above Karimabad in the Hunza valley in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. It was originally home to the hereditary rulers of the Hunza state who carried the title Mir, although they moved to the somewhat younger Baltit Fort nearby three centuries later. Altit Fort and in particular the Shikari tower is around 1100 years old, which makes it the oldest monument in the Gilgit–Baltistan.

The word Altit means down side and is a Tibetan word. The people of Altit are said to belong to the white Huns, although not much research has gone into the matter. It is said that the present language Bruchiski was brought here by the white Huns in 47 A.D. The first name for Altit village was Hunukushal, meaning the village of Huns. The Huns came from the Huang-Ho valley in China. The name later changed to Broshal, translated as a village of Brushashki speakers. They were spirit worshippers as Shamanism was in practice. In the 15th century Shia Islam was introduced. Around 1830 in turn all the population converted to Ismailism.