Mustafa Castle, Meerut, Meerut Overview

The Mustafa Castle, one of the historic and grand landmarks in the city of Meerut was built in the memory of Nawab Mustafa Khan Shaifta, a renowned poet and critic of his era, by his son, Nawab Mohammad Ishak Khan in 1900. The castle is popularly recognised for its distinguished architecture and its historical importance.

During the independence struggle of India, the castle was transformed into a haven for political proceedings and bore some of the most significant events in the history of India. Choices of the finest wooden furniture, paintings and various arts and artefacts from all over the world remarkably mark the grandeur of Mustafa Castle.

Several chambers in the castle are named after the colours such as Basanti, Gulabi and so forth distinctly used in summers and winters with relevant colour schemes. Mustafa Castle is one of the popular and must-visit places if you are in the city of Meerut, especially if you are a history buff.

How to Reach Mustafa Castle

The Mustafa Castle is located in Meerut Cantonment on West End Road in the city of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The castle is at a distance of 2.5 kilometres from the main city of Meerut and is easily accessible by any of the road routes. It is approximately 4 kilometres away from the Meerut Railway Station and can be reached with ease by auto rickshaws or cabs. The distance between B.R. Ambedkar Meerut Airport and Mustafa Castle is nearly 14 kilometres. You can also visit the famous Jama Masjid which is very near to Mustafa Castle and make your trip to Meerut worth remembering.

Architecture of Mustafa Castle

Nawab Ishak Khan left no stone unturned in his efforts for building and glorifying the Mustafa Castle. He mixed various styles of architecture in building the castle and imported arts and artefacts from London to display them with pride. The castle shares prominent features with the buildings of Rajasthan and Oudh and is said to have used clay from Mecca in the construction procedure.

The castle has proudly preserved some of the rare artefacts of that time such as pendulum clocks, ornately designed lamps, antique chandeliers, carved wooden cabinets and various historic portraits. Some of the chambers in the castle are named by the colours- Basanti, Gulabi and so on, beautifying the majesty of the castle. The castle has many antique items each of which reminds of the luxurious lifestyle of the Nawabs. The Mustafa Castle continues to one of the finest examples of the amalgamation of different architectures of all times.

Historical Significance

The construction of Mustafa Castle began in 1896/1897 and was completed in 1900. Nawab Mohammad Ishak Khan built it in the honourable memory of his father, Nawab Mustafa Khan Shaifta who was one of the most distinguished notables of his time of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and a great poet and critic. The history dates back to the year 1857 in which the British succeeded in regaining control of Delhi from the Mughals. Nawab Mustafa Khan, whose mother was a Mughal, was accused of supporting the uprising which emanated from Meerut during that time. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and was confined of the Military Jail of Meerut Cantonment which later happened to be the centre area of the Mustafa Castle.

Nawab Mohammad Ishak Khan purchased that area along with the adjoining land which in total was of 30 acres. Nawab Ishak Khan designed the building himself with the help of assassinates who had considerable experience in building barracks of the British Army. The cell in which Nawab Mustafa Khan was imprisoned is still retained in its original shape, and the castle offers facilities akin to those of British Bungalows of those times along with unique architecture. Years later, after the death of Nawab Mohammad Ishak Khan, his son Nawab Mohammad Ismail Khan who was a highly accomplished politician markedly transformed the castle into a hub of political activity where many political proceedings took place in the years of the Independence struggle of India.