History

The word Altit means this side down and the area around the fort is inhabited by Burusho people. The people of Altit are said to belong to the white Huns, although not much research has gone into the matter. There are several theories about their origin but local indigenous origin holds much value among the people. It is also said that the present language Bruchiski was brought here by the white Huns in 47 A.D but there is no link between burushaski and any other language of today. According to the legend the first name for Altit village was Hunukushal, meaning the village of Huns. The Huns came from the Huang-Ho valley in China. The name later changed to Broshal, translated as a village of Bruchiski speakers. 

Baltit Fort or Balti Fort is an ancient fort in the Hunza valley in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Founded in the 1st CE, since 2004, it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list.^[1]

In the past, the survival of the feudal regime of Hunza was ensured by the impressive Baltit fort, which overlooksKarimabad. The foundations of the fort date back to 700 years ago, with rebuilds and alterations over the centuries. In the 16th century the local prince married a princess from Baltistan who brought master Balticraftsmen to renovate the building as part of her dowry. The architectural style is a clear indication of buddhistTibetan influence in Baltistan at the time.

The Mirs of Hunza abandoned the fort in 1945, and moved to a new palace down the hill. The fort started to decay which caused concern that it might possibly fall into ruin. Following a survey by the Royal Geographical Society of London a restoration programme was initiated and supported by the Aga Khan Trust for CultureHistoric Cities Support Programme. The programme was completed in 1996 and the fort is now a museum run by the Baltit Heritage Trust.