Gwalior is a legendary city, with a very interesting and colourful past. It is a city which remembers its kings, poets, singers and saints with pride, and preserves every monument of its historical and cultural heritage, with utmost care. Gwalior was established in 8th century A.D., and has been named after Saint Gwalipa, a hermit who had cured Suraj Sen, the king of Gwalior, of leprosy, by offering him water from the Suraj Kund or the Sun Tank located within the Gwalior fort. The city of Gwalior is dominated by the hill - top fort , the history of which goes back over 1000 years. During this period of 1000 years, Gwalior fort has been annexed by many rulers, including the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and the Britishers. In the early 19th century, the fort was passed on to the Scindias. The fort has been a mute witness to some of the final and most dramatic events of the Mutiny, in mid 1858. Rani of Jhansi, the heroine of the Indian independence, was killed here during the final assault on the fort in 1858. The Gwalior fort, rising about 100 metres above the ground, sprawls over a length of about three kilometres. The width of the fort also varies between one kilometre and 200 metres at different places. The mighty sandstone walls of the fort encompass about six palaces, three temples, and several water tanks. The tourist can have a magnificent view from the fort walls, over the old city of Gwalior.