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St. Angelo Fort
Location : 3
km west of Kannur
town, north Kerala.
Attraction :
A fascinating view
of a natural fishing
bay and a sea wall
projecting from the
fort separating the
rough sea and inland
water.
A massive triangular
laterite fort,
replete with a moat
and flanking
bastions, the St.
Angelo's Fort also
called Kannur Fort
was constructed by
the first Portuguese
Viceroy, Don
Francesco de Almeida
in 1505.
In 1663, the Dutch
captured the fort
from the Portuguese
and sold it to Ali
Raja of Kannur. In
1790 the British who
seized control over
the fort, renovated
and equipped it to
be their most
important military
station in Malabar.
Today, St. Angelo's
Fort is a protected
monument under the
Archaeological
Survey of India. The
fort offers a
fascinating view of
the Moppila Bay and
Dharmadom Island.
Dharmadom island,
only 5 acres in
area, is situated
100 metres away from
the mainland in the
Arabian sea. The
Moppila Bay is a
natural fishing bay.
A sea wall
projecting from the
fort separates the
rough sea and inland
water. Today, the
bay has turned into
a modern fishing
harbour, developed
under the
Indo-Norwegian Pact.
Getting there:
Nearest railway
station: Kannur,
about 3 km.
Nearest airport:
Karipur
International
Airport, Kozhikode
about 93 km. |
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Thalasseri Fort
22km from the land
of the exotic art
form of theyyam-the
northern district of
Kannur is the small
town of Thalassery.
In this town stands
an imposing
historical monument
the Thalassery Fort.
The East India
Company which had
established its
settlement on the
Malabar Coast in
1683 built the
monument as a
testimonial of their
colonial imperialism
in 1703. The fort
was once the nucleus
of Thalassery's
development.
The imposing square
fort has massive
walls, huge,
intricately carved
doors and secret
tunnels to the sea
all in all, the
perfect setting for
you to get an
authentic taste of
some local history
and heritage! |
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Bekal Fort
Location: 16
kms south of
Kasaragod town,
Kasaragod District.
Attraction :
Giant keyhole shaped
fort, the golden
expanse of a
beautiful beach
surrounding the
fort, backwaters and
hilldestinations and
water sport
facilities nearby.
Kasaragod is a
beautiful town
poised at the
northern extreme of
Kerala State.16 kms
south of the town on
the National
Highway, is the
largest and best
preserved fort in
the whole of the
Kerala, surrounded
by a splendid beach.
Shaped like a giant
keyhole, the
historic Bekal fort
offers a superb view
of the Arabian Sea
from its tall
observation towers,
where a few
centuries ago huge
cannons used to be
placed.
Nearby is an old
mosque said to have
been built by the
valiant Tipu Sultan
of Mysore. Built by
the rulers of
ancient Kadampa
dynasty, the fort
changed hands over
the years to the
Kolathiri Rajas, the
Vijayanagar empire,
Tipu Sultan and
finally, the British
East India Company.
Today, the Bekal
fort and its
surroundings is fast
becoming an
international
tourist destination
and a favorite
shooting locale for
film makers. Bekal
is also one among
the five centres
selected by the
Government of India
to be developed into
a 'Special Tourism
Area'.
Getting there:
Nearest railway
station:
Kasaragod, about 16
km
Nearest airports:
Mangalore, about 50
km; Karipur
International
Airport, Kozhikode
about 200 km |
The Fort of Tipu
Sultan
Location : In
the heart of
Palakkad town.
The Tipu's Fort,
also known as
Palakkad Fort,
stands in the heart
of Palakkad town.
Palakkad is a small
town on the lower
edges of the
Sahyadri ranges of
the Western Ghats,
with patches of
dense forests and
crisscrossed with
rivers.
One of the well
preserved forts in
south India, Tipu's
Fort was constructed
in 1766 AD and is
today a protected
monument under the
Archaeological
Survey of India. The
sober majesty of the
laterite walls of
the fort reminds one
of the old tales of
valour and courage.
The fort was built
by Hyder Ali (1717 -
1782), the emperor
of Mysore province
(now part of
Karnataka State),
supposedly to
facilitate
communication
between both sides
of the Western Ghats,
(Coimbatore and the
West Coast). He had
captured the Malabar
and Kochi regions
which come under the
West Coast area. His
son Tipu Sultan
(1750 - 1799) a
warrior as well as a
linguist was known
as the 'Lion of
Mysore'. Tipu waged
a series of wars
against the British
colonial rule.
In 1784, after an
eleven-day seige,
the fort was
captured by the
British under
Colonel Fullerton.
Though it later fell
into the hands of
the troops of the
Kozhikode Zamorin,
it was recaptured by
the British in 1790.
Tipu Sultan lost his
life in 1799 in an
encounter with the
British and the fort
later came to be
known in his name.
Getting there:
Nearest railway
station:
Palakkad about 5 km.
Nearest airports:
Coimbatore about
55km in Tamilnadu
State; Cochin
International
Airport, about 140
km towards south. |
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