Editing Aligarh (section)

{{About|the municipality in Uttar Pradesh, India|its namesake district|Aligarh district|the 2015 Hindi film|Aligarh (film)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Aligarh
| settlement_type    = City
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = 
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                   = infobox
| total_width              = 275
| image_style              = 
| perrow                   = 2/2/2
| image1                   = AMU Masjid - panoramio.jpg
| image2                   = Aligarh clock house.jpg
| image3                   = Bab E Syed - panoramio.jpg
| image4                   = Church of ascension.jpg
|image5 = Aligarh Habitat Center.jpg
|image6 = Kennedy House.jpg
}}
| image_caption      = From top, left to right: [[Sir Syed Mosque]]; [[Aligarh Clock Tower]]; Bab-e-Syed, Church of Ascension; Aligarh Habitat Centre; Kennedy House Complex
| pushpin_map        = India Uttar Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Uttar Pradesh, India
| coordinates        = {{coord|27.88|N|78.08|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{IND}}
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_type2  = Division
| subdivision_type3  = [[List of districts of Uttar Pradesh|District]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Aligarh division|Aligarh]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Aligarh district|Aligarh]]
| established_title  = <!-- Established -->
| established_date   = 1753 as Aligarh
| named_for          = [[Ali ibn Abi Talib]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://aligarh.nic.in/history/ |title=District Aligarh History |access-date=25 October 2024 |quote=when a Shia commander, Najaf Khan, captured Kol, he gave it its present name of Aligarh.}}</ref>
| government_type    = [[Municipal corporation|Municipal Corporation]]
| governing_body     = [[Aligarh Municipal Corporation]]
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Prashant Singhal ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]])<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/bjp-dominates-municipal-elections-wins-aligarh-mayor-seat-by-a-massive-margin-of-over-50-000-votes-101684006436050.html |title=BJP wrests Aligarh, continues winning streak in Agra |work=Hindustan Times |date=14 May 2023 |access-date=22 May 2023}}</ref>
| unit_pref          = Metric
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 
| area_rank          = 
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 178
| population_total   = 874408
| population_as_of   = 2011
| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census2011"/>
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_rank    = 53
| population_demonym = Aligarian
| demographics_type1 = [[Language]]
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Hindi language|Hindi]]<ref name="langoff">{{cite web|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|website=nclm.nic.in|publisher=[[Ministry of Minority Affairs]]|access-date=20 December 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref>
| demographics1_title2 = Additional&nbsp;official
| demographics1_info2 = [[Urdu]]<ref name="langoff"/>
| demographics1_title3 = Regional
| demographics1_info3 = [[Braj Bhasha]]
| timezone1          = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1        = +5:30
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal Index Number|PIN Code]]
| postal_code        = 202001, 202002
| area_code          = 0571
| area_code_type     = Telephone code
| registration_plate = UP-81
| website            = {{URL|https://aligarh.nic.in/}}
| official_name      = 
}}

'''Aligarh''' ({{IPA|hi|əliːgəɽʱ}}; formerly known as '''Koil'''<ref name="Chandra"/>) is a city in the state of [[Uttar Pradesh]] in [[India]]. It is the administrative headquarters of [[Aligarh district]] and lies {{convert|342|km}} northwest of state capital [[Lucknow]] and approximately {{convert|130|km|mi|abbr=}} southeast of the capital, [[New Delhi]]. The cities and districts which adjoin Aligarh are: [[Gautam Buddha Nagar district|Gautam Buddha Nagar]], [[Bulandshahr district|Bulandshahr]], [[Sambhal district|Sambhal]], [[Badaun district|Badaun]], [[Kasganj district|Kasganj]], [[Hathras district|Hathras]], [[Etah district|Etah]] and [[Mathura district|Mathura]], as well as [[Palwal district]] of [[Haryana]]. As of 2011, Aligarh is the [[List of cities in India by population|53rd]] most populous city in [[India]].{{cn|date=April 2025}}

The [[recorded history]] of Aligarh begins in the 12th century, under the name Kol.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kol to Aligarh to Harigarh: Name-Changing Moments of the UP District {{!}} 12th Century to 2023 |url=https://www.news18.com/india/kol-to-aligarh-to-harigarh-the-name-changing-moments-of-uttar-pradesh-district-12th-century-to-2023-8653770.html |access-date=11 April 2025 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref> Kol was a major city of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] and [[Mughal Empire]], serving as both a political and economic centre. Beginning with a major rebuilding of the [[Aligarh Fort]] in the 16th century, the city was renamed several times before eventually settling on the current name, Aligarh, in the mid-1700s. It is notable as the seat of [[Aligarh Muslim University]], which was founded here as Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875, initiating the [[Aligarh Movement]].