Shaniwar wada was the first magnificent & safety mansion built chiefly as the residence of the Peshwas. The Foundation of the Original residence was laid by Bajirao in 1730 A.D and the construction completed in 1732 A.D at a cost of 16130 INR. The successors of Bajirao mad several additions such as fortification walls with bastions and Gates court halls and other buildings fountains and reservoir. In 1828 A.D however a fire gutted the building, In this palace what now remains are their fortification wall with five gates two each on the north and east and one on the south.The principal gate is known as the Dilli Darwaza (Delhi Gate), the other gates being Mastani or alibahadur Darwaza, Khidki Darwaja, Ganesh Darwaza and Narayan Darwaza.

            Delhi Darwaza                                                                                       

One of the building in the Shaniwar wada was seven storied. Among the other important building in the palace were Thorlya Rayacha Diwankhana (The court hall of Bajirao -1) Nachacha Diwankhana ( Dancing hall) Ganesh Mahal & Juna Aarsa Mahal (Old Mirror Hall). The walls and exquisitely engraved arches in them were supported by pillars shaped like Cypress trees. The ceilings were covered with beautiful wooden tracery creepers and flowers whereas the walls were painted with scenes from the great epics The Ramayana & the Mahabharata. The Beauty of the sixteen petaled lotus shaped fountain known as Hazari Karanja (Fountain with thousand fountain heads) can only be imagined now. Shivram Krishna, Devji and Kondaji Sutar, Morarji Patharvat, Bhojraj(an expert in inlay work form Jaipur) and Ragho (a painter) were among those thief artists who contributed to the planning construction & Decoration works of Shaniwar Wada. It is Nationally protected monument of Archeological Survey of India declared vide Notification No : BM- 5038 Dated :17-06-1919