An 18th century coastal city, Bhavnagar was the capital of an erstwhile princely state. Bhavnagar was founded by Bhavsinhji Gohil, the rulers of Sihor in 1723 AD. It is an intermediate port with a natural harbour. To overcome the difficulty of situation and to ensure the floatation of ships even with receding tides a lockgate has been constructed at the concrete jetty. For the tourist it is a convenient base for visits to the town of Palitana and the sacred hill of Shatrunjaya.It is a premier cotton-exporting seaport on the south-eastern Saurashtra coast. Today Bhavnagar is a city buzzing with people, students, marketplaces, educational institutions, and industries. It is a beautiful blend of modernism and traditionalism. People of this city are simple, easygoing and downright modest. The entire atmosphere is that of peace and comfort. It is known for its hospitality and generosity. The city has associations with Mahatma Gandhi, who went to university here, and relics of his life can be seen at Gandhi smriti in the 1895 AD Barton museum building, which also has a fine collection of coins, stamps, guns and other arms, sculpture and folk arts. Bhavnagar has myriad relics of it's princely rule-the Maharajahs commissioned architects like Sir William Emerson, the architect of the Victoria.