This topography of the land area with the rock exposures at the fort's location, with a favourable link with the northeast trending ridge and the main mosque (Jama Masjid), was visualised as an ideal setting that provided the needed protection against erosion by the Yamuna River.

[2][3][8] However, Humayun after he won back the Empire had renamed Salimghar Fort as "Nurghar" since the first ruler of the Sur Empire, Sher Shah Suri (father of Salim Shah Suri who had built the fort) had earlier usurped his Kingdom in 1540 AD.

[9] During the British rule, the Indian Rebellion of 1857, which was eventually put down in 1858, led to the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II was taken prisoner at Humayun tomb.

During the rebellion, Emperor Bahadur Shah II's "complicity with the mutinous soldiers was obvious", as seen from the British viewpoint.

Following this, even proclamations were issued declaring that the Emperor would lead the attack against the British and urging all his people, irrespective of caste or creed, to join him in fighting the war.

At this stage, his trusted assistant Bhakt Khan urged the Emperor to leave the fort and accompany him to a safer place and look for a day when he could "renew war in the open country".

Similar experience was encountered by the Punjab Fourth infantry regiment when, earlier, they had entered the palace from the Lahore gate of the Red Fort.

Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Murad Baksh (whom he had caught unawares while sleeping after a drinking binge at Mutra) who had acted as his confidant and supporter during his fight with his elder brother Dara Shikoh, at this fort for reasons of "apostasy for abandoning the fundamental tenets of Islam".

It is also said that Auranagzeb, apart from imprisoning Murad Baksh, had the dubious credit of incarcerating his favourite eldest daughter Zebunnisa in the Salimgarh Fort for 21 years till her death.

It was stated that she was imprisoned for being a poetess and a musician (both anathema to Aurangzeb's austere, more orthodox and fundamental way of life and thinking) and for being sympathetic to her brother Muhammad Akbar who was persona non–grata with the Emperor.

[3][12][13][14] The British had kept Bahadur Shah incarcerated at this fort, after he was taken prisoner at Humayun tomb and later shifted to Rangoon, Burma.

The Red Fort Complex, Delhi is classified as a cultural property with an outstanding universal significance.

"Further to the above listing, ASI at the directive of the Supreme Court of India, prepared a draft report presenting a "Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP)” based on a detailed study of the site's importance.

The Swatantra Sangram Museum, which opened to the public on 2 October 1995, is located in the precincts of the Red Fort Complex within the Salimgarh Fort as it was the prison where the INA prisoners were incarcerated by the British from 1945 till Independence of India from British rule on 15 August 1947.

The place was chosen as the site for the museum on the basis of initial identification provided by Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon of the location where the British had held trial of the Indian National Army prisoners for treason in 1945.

In 2007 (the 60th Year of India's Independence), ASI decided to shift the museum to the new location but "with more documents for the new galleries, apart from providing better lighting, panelling, and displays for existing structures."

On this occasion, a section on Mahatma Gandhi was also proposed to be added to the museum with full–size depictions of the Jallianwala Bagh firing and the Salt Satyagraha.