Forts in Kerala

Several forts were built in Kerala from the first decade of the 16th century to the mid-18th century. The forts that exist now and those mentioned in historical texts are given below.

1. Bekal Fort (Kasargod)

Located on the seashore in Pallikkara village of Kasaragod district, this fort is believed to have been built by Shivappa Nayaka of Bidanur.

2. Chandragiri Fort (Kasargod)

This fort is believed to have been built by Shivappa Nayaka. It is located on the banks of the Chandragiri River in Kasaragod district.

3. Kumbala Arikady Fort (Kasargod)

Kumbala Arikady Fort is located near Kumbala on the Kasaragod - Mangalore route. It is believed that Arikady Fort was built by Venkatappa of the Ikkeri dynasty in the 16th century.

4. Hosdurg Fort (Kasargod)

Located in Kasaragod district. The present-day Hosdurg taluk is the former Nileshwaram kingdom. This fort was built here in 1731 by Somashekara Nayaka of the Keladi Nayaka dynasty.

5. Povval Fort (Kasargod)

Povval Fort is another fort in Kasaragod district. It is believed that the fort was built by the Ikkeri kings.

6. Thalassery Fort (Kannur)

The British, who shifted their trading capital from Kozhikode to Thalassery, built a fort in Thalassery, now part of Kannur district, in 1705. It is built of red stone in a rectangular shape.

7. Valapattanam Fort (Kannur)

This fort is located on the banks of the Kattampally River in Kannur district. The area around the fort came to be known as Valapattanam because of the construction of a dam by Vallabhan.

8. Madayi Kotta (Kannur)

Located in Kannur district, madayi kotta was built with red stone by Vallabha Perumal of the Kolathiri dynasty. Only the stone pile of the ruined fort remains today. Historical texts state that Hyder Ali attacked and captured madayi kotta in 1766.

9. St. Angelo Fort (Kannur)

St. Angelo Fort is located on the western side of the present-day city of Kannur. It is also known as Kannur Fort. The fort was built in 1505 by the Portuguese Viceroy Don Francisco de Almeida in a triangular shape with red stone.

10. Dharmadam Fort (Kannur)

Dharmadam Fort is located in Dharmadam, between Thalassery and Kannur in Kannur district. After the British defeated the Naduvazhis and became the rulers of Dharmadam, the area surrounding the fort became part of the British East India Company. The ruins of the fort, built of red stone, can still be seen.

11. Pazhassi Fort (Kannur)

Pazhassi Fort is located at a place called Kottakunnu in Pazhassi, near Mattanur in Kannur district. It is one of the forts built by Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja. The fort and palace were later demolished by the British.

12. Ezhimala Fort (Kannur)

This fort is located at a place called Kottaparamba, south of the Ramanthali Jama Masjid in Kannur district. The Portuguese built this fort in 1524 during Vasco da Gama's third voyage.

13. Kadalayi Fort (Kannur)

Kadalayi Fort is built by Vallabha Perumal of the Kolathiri dynasty in Kadalayi, Kannur district. It was a stone fort with a strong wall and other features. No evidence of it remains today.

14. Taliparamba Fort (Kannur)

The ruins of the Taliparamba Fort can be seen half a kilometer away from the Taliparamba Rajarajeshwari Temple in Kannur district. The locals call it Tipu's Fort.

15. Harishchandra Fort (Kannur)

There are ruins of a fort in Puralimala in Kannur district. That is Harishchandra Fort.

16. Kasanakotta (Kannur)

Located in Kannur district, Kasanakotta was built by the Arakkal dynasty. Kasanakotta is a fort built to protect the treasury of the Arakkal dynasty.

17. Payyam Fort (Kannur)

It is believed to have been built in the 17th century at Payyannur in Kannur district. It is believed that the fort was built by Murikkancheri Kelu, a chieftain of the Chirakkal dynasty and later the Arakkal dynasty.

18. St. George Fort, Mahe Fort, Fort Dufan, Fort Kanthe (Mahe)

Mahe is an area that was under the rule of the French. The French built multiple forts in Mahe. Some were later captured by the British. Fort St. George, Mahe Fort, Fort Dufain, and Fort Conthe are forts built by the French in Mahe.

19. Marakkar Fort (Kozhikode)

The fort, known as Marakkar Fort, was built by Kunjali Marakkar III in Kottakkal, Kozhikode with the permission of Zamorin.

20. Kallayikotta (Kozhikode)

Kallayikotta is a fort built by the Portuguese on the north bank of the Kallayipuzha River. It is also called Kozhikode Fort. In 1524, the Zamorin's army captured Kallayikotta. The Zamorin, who captured the fort, completely destroyed it.

21. Kuttiyadi Fort (Kozhikode)

Historical texts state that Tipu Sultan built a fort at Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode district. This is known as Kuttiyadi Fort. In 1790, Pazhassi Raja, who helped the British in the Third Carnatic War, easily conquered Kuttiyadi Fort, drove away the Mysore army and seized its weapons. The remains of this fort do not exist today.

22. Thamarassery Fort (Kozhikode)

The Thamarassery Fort was built by Colonel Stevenson, who came to Wayanad to wage war against the Pazhassi Raja in the early 19th century. The ruins of this fort can be seen near the Travelers Bungalow in Thamarassery.

23. Pappinivattom Fort (Kozhikode)

Pappinivattom Fort in Kozhikode district is a fort built by the Zamorin. Red stone was used for the construction of the fort. This fort was destroyed during the war with the Dutch.

24. Vadakara Fort (Kozhikode)

This is a fort located on the north side of the Kottapuzha River in the town of Kozhikode. This fort was built in 1703 and is made of red stone. Today, no remains of this fort remain.

25. Chaliyam Fort (Beypore Fort) (Vettathunadu)

Chaliyam Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1531 in the old princely state of Vettathunadu. Stone and wood were used for the construction of the fort.

26. Palakkad Fort (Palakkad)

This beautiful fort located in Palakkad city was built by Hyder Ali in the 1760s. The British captured the fort in 1790. The fort is now under the control of the Archaeological Department.

27. Nedumkotta Fort (Thrissur)

Nedumkotta is a massive fort built on the northern borders of Travancore from Sahya mountains to Vypin Island to repel Mysore attacks. It is also known as the 'Travancore Lines'. The fort was built during the reign of Dharmaraja of Travancore.

28. Kodungallur Fort (Thrissur)

The Portuguese built the Kodungallur Fort in 1523. The Dutch conquered this fort with the help of Paliathachan.

29. Banan's Fort (Thrissur)

Banan's Fort is located in the forest of Vellanimudi Hill in Thrissur district. It is built with large stone slabs. Its ruins are still there. It is believed that this fort was built by the forest dwellers for divine ceremonies.

30. Kottapuram Fort (Thrissur)

Kottapuram Fort, located in Thrissur district, was built by the Portuguese.

31. Chetuva Fort (Thrissur)

Chetuva Fort is a fort built by the Dutch in 1714 in Chetuva, Thrissur. The Dutch named the fort made of red stone 'Fort William'. Over time, the fort came under the control of the British. Now, only the ruins of the fort can be seen.

32. Pallipuram Fort (Ernakulam)

Pallipuram Fort, also known as Ayakotta and Ayikkotta, was built by the Portuguese. Built in 1503, this fort is considered the oldest European fort in India. It is built in a hexagonal shape. Pallipuram Fort is located in Vypin, a part of Ernakulam district.

33. Kochi Fort (Ernakulam)

Kochi Fort is a fort built by the Portuguese on a hilltop on the coast of Kochi in 1503. The fort was captured by the British in 1795 and later demolished. It is one of the oldest forts in Kerala.

34. Manuel Fort (Kochi)

Fort Manuel is a fort built by Albuquerque in Kochi.

35. Thangassery Fort (Kollam)

Thangassery Fort is built by the Portuguese in Kollam city. Only the ruins of the fort remain today.

36. Thiruvananthapuram Fort (Thiruvananthapuram)

This fort was built by Marthanda Varma in 1747. This fort was built with mud, granite, and red stone. The parts of the fort surrounding the city of Thiruvananthapuram are named as East Fort, West Fort, South Fort, and North Fort.

37. Anchuthengu Fort (Thiruvananthapuram)

In 1690, the English received the right to build a fort at Anchuthengu from the Queen of Attingal. The construction of the fort was completed in 1695. This fort is built in a rectangular shape.

38. Other forts

Some of the forts associated with Kerala history are now in Tamil Nadu. Prominent among them are Vattakottai Fort, Udayagiri Fort, and Padmanabhapuram Fort.