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Kerala forms a major part of the Malabar Coast in India. In the olden times, these locations served as good points for defence purposes. Many colonial forces like the Portuguese and the British choose these locations which helped their rule in India.
Even the Indian rulers saw the importance of this coastal line. Hence many forts were built in Kerala in those times.Today, these forts are the monuments and also the popular tourist places in Kerala. Bekal Fort, Kannur Fort, Palakkad Fort, etc. are some of the famous buildings of colonial India.
Many of the Kerala's forts are preserved and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. The forts are also the prominent places to visit in Kerala, along with other attractions.
Let us take a pictorial tour around 6 famous forts of God's Own Country!
Palakkad Fort
Palakkad Fort was constructed by Hyder Ali in 1766; he is said to have invaded an ancient fort which was under Palakkad Achchan (local ruler) and re-built it.
Palakkad Fort is also called as Tipu's Fort (Hyder Ali's son) and remains one of the famous forts in Kerala.
The fortress is known for its grandeur and a great history; the strategical location of the fort attracted many rulers who tried to capture it.
Mainly, Palakkad Fort was under Hyder Ali and the British for a long time. Recently, a children's park has been made inside the fort.
Photo Courtesy: Me haridas
St. Angelo Fort
St.Angelo Fort or Kannur Fort is located in Kannur on the coast of Arabian Sea. It is the first Portuguese fort which was built by Dom Francisco de Almeida, the Portuguese Viceroy in India.
St.Angelo Fort is well maintained and is one of the popular tourist attractions in Kerala.
Photo Courtesy: Ranjithsiji
Bekal Fort
Bekal Fort is situated in Kasargod near Karnataka border. It is said to be the largest fort in Kerala.
Bekal Fort is a marine fort constructed by Shivappa Nayaka in 1650 AD. Today, this picturesque fort is a monument in Kerala and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Photo Courtesy: Joseph Lazer
East Fort
East Fort in the heart of Thiuvananthapuram got its name from the Eastern entrance. It was built by the rulers of Tranvancore to guard the city.
Earlier the city was inside the fort and many buildings of that age are still remaining. The popular Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple formed the heart of the East Fort.
Ganesha Temple, Gandhi Park (front of the fort) and Kuthirmalika Palace museum are some of the attractions of the East Fort.
Photo Courtesy: Jungpionier
Thalassery Fort
Thalassery Fort is another fort in Kannur district, it was built by the British in late 1600s. It is said that the fortress was constructed using the materials like egg white, quicklime and so on.
Thalassery Fort played a major role in establishing the English colonial rule in the Malabar Coast. Today, it is one of the famous ancient forts in Kerala.
Photo Courtesy: Akhil chandran
Anjengo Fort
Anjengo Fort is also called as Anchuthengu Fort is in Thiruvanathapuram. It was built by East India Company and it served as a good location for signalling ships.
Anjengo is the old name of the coastal town Anchuthengu and the fort played a prominent role in Anglo-Mysore War.
Photo Courtesy: Prasanthvembayam
