Manora Fort, Thanjavur

Manora Fort is located about 65 km away from Thanjavur, and was built by Serfoji-II, the Maratha King during the years 1814-1815. Its construction was to commemorate the British advance that proved successful against the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Consisting of eight stories, it is a hexagonal tower that stands at 23 m in height.

The word ‘Manora’ is derived from ‘Minaret’. In the December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, the fort was damaged but the structure has been renovated since then, and several other facilities such as a tourist’s shed and an upgraded children’s park have been added.

An unsubstantiated legend exists along the lines that the Fort used to overlook a part of Sri Lanka and trade used to flourish at the fort. It is also rumored that the King might have hidden some treasure within the mazes and a lot of damage has been sustained as a result of the locals searching for it.