Fort Bassein or Vasai Fort is a large fort in Vasai village, in the Vasai taluka (county) of the District of Palghar, Konkan Division, Maharashtra State, Republic of India. The name "Bassein" is the English version of the Portuguese "Baaim" (with the "" 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. Famous British Band Coldplay shot there song 'Hymn for the Weekend' at this fort. The video as of September 2016 has more than 500 million views on YouTube. The complete form of the Portuguese name is "Fortaleza de So Sebastio de Baaim" 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.[1] 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 Mumbai, Baroda & Central India Railways) in the direction of Virar Railway Station.
