Aligarh is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Aligarh district, and lies 307 kilometres northwest of Kanpur and approximately 130 kilometres southeast of the capital, New Delhi. The districts which adjoin Aligarh are Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Sambhal, Badaun, Kasganj, Hathras Hasanpur Amroha and Mathura. As of 2011, Aligarh is the 53rd most populous city in India.
The recorded history of Aligarh begins with the establishment of the Aligarh Fort in the 16th century. It is a university town, notable as the seat of Aligarh Muslim University, which was founded here as Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, initiating the Aligarh Movement.