Bhavnagar is a city in the Indian state of Gujarat. Founded in 1724 by Bhavsinhji Gohil (1703–1764), the city was named after its founder and ruler. It has been the capital of Bhavnagar State, which was a princely state before it was merged into the Indian Union in 1948. It is now the administrative center of the Bhavnagar district.
Bhavnagar is situated 198 km from the state capital Gandhinagar and to the west of the Gulf of Khambhat. Bhavnagar is the fifth largest city of Gujarat, and the second largest city in the Saurashtra region. It is also known as the cultural capital of Saurashtra.