The town was established by a Bundela Rajput ruler Rudra Pratap Singh some time after 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state of covering parts of central & north India, in the Bundelkhand region.

Orchha was captured by imperial forces of the Mughal Army led by Prince Aurangzeb in October 1635.

Even in the present times Rama is regarded as the only king and the guard of honour is given to him by the police every day at the Ram Raja Temple.

[9][10] On a seasonal island on the bank of the Betwa River, which has been surrounded by a battlement wall, stands a huge palace-fort.

The fort consists of several connected buildings erected at different times, the most noteworthy of which is the Raja Mahal.

The Ram Raja Temple is built on a square base and has an almost entirely plain exterior, relieved by projecting windows and a line of delicate domes along the summit.

The Jahangir Mahal is built on a rectangular base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner surmounted by a dome, while two lines of graceful balconies supported on brackets mark the central storeys.

[1] The more unguarded and neglected of these buildings are popular hangouts for tropical bees, wasps, and other such excitable stinging creatures.

In 2024, Anees Bazmee's film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 has been shot at Orchha Fort, temples and ghats of Betwa.

Orchha is 170 kms and 3 hours drive from Khajuraho Airport which is well connected with other metropolitan cities in India.

15 km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, Orchha also lies close to other popular tourist destinations like, Gwalior and Khajuraho.