Bassein Fort Vasai or Bassein Fort is a large fort in Vasai village , in the Vasai taluka ( county ) of the District of Thane , Konkan Division , Maharashtra State , Republic of India . The name " Bassein " is the English version of the Portuguese " Baçaim " ( with the " ç " spoken as " s " and with the " m " silent ) , itself a version of an apparently native name that may have a connection to the Vasa Konkani tribals of the North Konkan region , extending from Mumbai into " South Gujarat . " The Marathi name of the place is Vasai . The complete form of the Portuguese name is " Fortaleza de São Sebastião de Baçaim " or the Fort of St . Sebastian of Vasai . The Vasai fort is a monument of national importance and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India . The fort and the village are accessible most easily through the Vasai Road Railway Station , which itself is in Manikpur - Navghar , a part of the newly raised City of Vasai - Virar ( See " Vasai - Virar Municipal Corporation " ) , and lies to the immediate north of the cities of Mumbai and Mira Road - Bhayander . The " Vasai Road " Railway Station is on the Western Railway line ( formerly the Bombay , Baroda & Central India Railways ) in the direction of Virar Railway Station . History . Portuguese mariners exploring the north Konkan Coast , discovered the Arab Sultanate of Khambat or Cambay , building or renovating or expanding the fort in the early 1400s and attacked it in a failed effort to seize it . Later , after more systematic efforts , the Sultanate of Cambay ceded the fort to Portugal by the Treaty of Saint Matthew signed on the Portuguese brig Sao Matteus anchored in the Bhayander Creek or Vasai Harbor . Under Portugal , the fort was the Northern Court or " Corte da Norte , " second only to the City of Goa , functioning as the headquarters of the Captain of the North . For 150 odd years , the presence of the Portuguese made the surrounding area a vibrant and opulent city . As such it was the capital of Portuguese possessions on the coast north of Goa , over places such as Chaul - Revdanda , Karanja Island , the Bombay Archipelago , Bandra Island , Juhu Island , Salsette Island including the City of Thane , Dharavi Island , the Vasai archipelago itself , Daman , Diu , and other Portuguese holdings extending up the coasts to Pakistan , Oman , the UAE , Iran , and other parts of the Persian Gulf . The ethnic community locally known in the Bombay region as the " East Indians " ( sic ) were called " Norteiro " ( Northernmen ) after the Court of the North functioning out of the fort . In the 18th century , the fort was taken over by the Maratha army under Peshwa Baji Rao ' s brother Chimaji Appa , and fell in 1739 after a three - year - long campaign . ( See - Battle of Vasai ) The British shortly attacked and took over the territory from the Marathas as the price for supporting one faction of the Marathas against another . Present . The ramparts overlook what is alternatively called the Vasai Creek and the Bhayander Creek and are almost complete , though overgrown by vegetation . Several watch - towers still stand , with safe staircases leading up . The Portuguese buildings inside the fort are in ruins , although there are enough standing walls to give a good idea of the floor plans of these structures . Some have well - preserved façades . In particular , many of the arches have weathered the years remarkably well . They are usually decorated with carved stones , some weathered beyond recognition , others still displaying sharp chisel marks . Three chapels inside the fort are still recognisable . They have façades typical of 17th - century Portuguese churches . The southernmost of these has a well preserved barrel - vaulted ceiling . The fort is often used for shooting Bollywood film scenes . The films shot here include " Josh " , " Khamoshi " , and " Ram Gopal Verma ' s Aag " . Besides all the structures one should not miss observing the nature that has taken over much of the fort . It is a great place to observe butterflies , birds , plants and reptiles . The Archaeological Survey of India has started restoration work of the fort , although the quality of the work has been severely criticized by " conservation activists " . It is said that the fort has a bad reputation for illegal activities and that during the week days its not advisable for tourists or women to visit it . Accessibility . One needs to take a Western Railways train bound to Virar from Churchgate and get off at Vasai Road . If someone is coming from the Central Railway or Central Railway Harbour Line then they have to switch to the Western Railway line at either Dadar , Bandra or Andheri . Another railway line connects the Central and the Western Railways lines from Vasai Road Railway Station to Diva , a stop just beyond Thane city on the Central Railway line , and long - distance passenger trains travelling this route also carry commuters between the two lines . A new railway station named Kopar has started which is between Diva and Dombivli . Passengers travelling from Thane or Kalyan can alight at Kopar and go top by staircase and at Platform No . 3 they can catch the Diva to Vasai train . Vasai Road station is only one hour by train from Kopar station . Currently there are 5 trains daily which goes to Vasai Road from Dombivli , Diva and Panvel and 5 trains from Vasai Road to Diva and Panvel . There is a State Road Transport Bus Terminus & Station adjacent and to the immediate west of the Vasai Road Railway Station in Manickpur - Navghar . The destination for buses going to the Vasai fort is : Killa Bunder " or " Fort Jetty / Quay . " There are buses every half hour . Ticket costs you Rs . 7 . 00 and you can get off at the last stop and walk around . Auto - Rickshaw s are also available which can be hired from the western entrance to the Railway station but cost more per head and are unsafe in that they are usually congested . Auto Rickshaws are also available which can be hired from the main road outside the station but it would cost you around Rs . 20 . 00 per head . Gallery . The Flora and Fauna inside the fort premises .