At its base is the historical city of Champaner, while the hill station of Pavagadh was built upon the volcanic cone itself.

With Champaner, Pavagadh hill forms the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is spread over an area of more than 1,329 hectares (3,280 acres).

Faith based legend surrounding Pavagadh formation suggests that the right foot of Sati is believed to have fallen at Pavagadh, thus forming a deep valley and the God later on "sent a large hill as per the request of Rishi Vishwamitra to fill up this deep valley so that the sage's sacred cows do not fall into it."

"[8] There are steep rock exposures whose geological formation is attributed to ancient volcanic eruptions and lava flows.

Pavagadh Hill has a geological setting of reddish-yellow coloured stone, and is considered to be one of the oldest rock formations in India.

It is interpreted as part of the Deccan Traps, which arose from the "tumultuous outpour of lava beyond 106 cubic km in volume.

Geologists have also observed that "seventeen horizontal flows have occurred in Pavagadh" and postulated that the "whole series resulted by fractionalism in two episodes.

The path ascending the hill passes through many old gates and cuts through natural ledges of rock like a staircase, with precipitous sides.

[16][17] Several monks of the Achalgacch such as Mahendraprabhasuri, Merutungasuri, and Jaykesarisuri amongst many, and those of the Tapagacch such as Dharmaratnasuri, Hemvimalsuri, Laxmisagarsuri, Bhuvansundarsuri etc.

According to several Śvetāmbara scriptures, at one time, these shrines were considered to be of equal rank and importance as those atop the hill at Palitana.

[25] The Greek geographer Ptolemy many centuries ago in his work regarded this temple as an ancient and holy place.

Several Tirthankara idols at the sides of the staircase on the old path to reach the Kalika Mata shrine were desecrated and broken down.