Coorg is a beautiful location that is a favourite amongst a lot of travelers. As versatile as the location can get, it offers even more versatile things to explore. For an explorer or traveler exploring Coorg can be really interesting. And if you are a history buff then you would certainly find a lot of places to explore here. One such location is the Madikeri Fort. The Madikeri Fort Coorg is one of the popular locations that you can visit in Coorg. Located at an accessible location it attracts a lot of visitors on a daily basis.
The Madikeri Fort is a beautiful fort that dates back to the 17th century. Even after a lot of constructions and reconstructions the fort is still in a proper condition. And that is the reason why this is a popular tourist destination in Madikeri. In this article I will mention everything that you probably need to know about the Madikeri Fort. This will surely be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to this fort in Coorg.
Madikeri Fort Coorg
Location of Madikeri Fort: Coorg, Madikeri Fort Stuart Hill Madikeri Karnataka
Madikeri Fort timings: 10 am to 5:30 pm on all days except Monday. Monday is closed day
Entry fee of Madikeri Fort: There is no entry fee
How to reach Madikeri Fort
There is no direct railway station in Madikeri or Coorg. The nearest railway station to reach the fort is the Kannur Railway Station. From the railway station the fort is about 113 km away and you will easily get buses to reach the fort from there. You can also hire a cab as well to reach the fort. Private and public buses also ply on this route from the nearby cities like Mysore, Bangalore and Mangalore. You can even opt for that as well. As the fort is located at the centre of the town the location is accessible.
Overview of Madikeri Fort
The Madikeri Fort is one of the major attractions in Coorg, Karnataka. This fort is located just in the middle of the town of Madikeri. The majestic fort is beautiful in its appearance and also is attached to a lot of historical and cultural significance. It is one of the popular sightseeing locations for the tourists in Coorg. If you are visiting this fort you will also get a fair idea on the history of Coorg as well. So for history buffs this would ideally be a really good spot to visit. One of the best parts of this fort is also its location. Located in Coorg the fort is situated on top of an elevated platform. However this offers a beautiful panoramic view of the whole region that is one of the major attractions for the tourists.
The construction of this fort dates back to the latter half of the 17th century. Muddu Raja, the ruler of Coorg at that time constructed this fort as he also declared Madikeri as the new capital of Coorg. The fort had been a witness to various changes in power throughout the year. However even with the change of hands so many times the fort retained its charm till today. Finally Tipu Sultan also captured this fort after power struggles through the years. Also there had been significant changes in the structures of the fort as well through various rules. Different rules had contributed to the structure of this fort in different ways. The major changes were however done by the British when the fort came under their rule.
What’s more?
Currently, the Madikeri Fort is the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Madikeri. Alongside it is also one of the popular sightseeing spots in Coorg as well. There are life sized elephant statues, various ancient artifacts, ancient portraits and a museum here that attracts a major chunk of visitors here. So if you are ever visiting Coorg or Madikeri make sure you are visiting this beautiful fort.
Madikeri Fort History
Muddu Raja the then king of Coorg is the one behind the construction of this majestic fort. During the second half of the 17th century Muddu Raja declared Madikeri as the new capital of Coorg. The king also built a palace inside the main structure of the fort. At first the fort was a mere mud structure. Later when Tipu Sultan captured the fort, the fort saw major changes in its construction. As opulent as Tipu Sultan is as a ruler he wanted an opulent structure for the fort too. He ordered that the structure of the fort should be rebuilt entirely. The material used was granite and after the construction he renamed the site as Jaffarabad.
Furthermore in 1790 Sodda Vir Rajendra took control of this fort under his rule. Linga Rajendra Wodeyer II again renovated the whole structure between 1812 and 1814. And after all that the control of the fort finally went into the hands of the British. It was under British rule that they suggested some changes to the primary structure of the fort. Initially there was a beautiful temple of Virbhadra inside this fort. But the British ordered for the removal of that temple. Instead they ordered the building of a church in the same space itself. The church was called the St. Marks Church and it was constructed in 1855. The construction of the church followed a majestic Gothic style of architecture and had beautiful stained windows.
Architecture of Madikeri Fort
The architecture of the Madikeri Fort is truly captivating and that makes it a popular sight for sightseeing as well. The architectural design and the execution both made it an interesting sight to visit. The magnanimous fort has definitely passed the test of time and therefore you can imagine how strong the structure is. One of the major attractions of this fort are two life sized stone replicas of elephants. They are located at the north east corner of the fort complex. As soon as you enter the fort you will be able to spot these elephants.
Inside the fort there is a massive palace that is spacious with 110 feet length. It is a two storied palace and looks beautiful. In 1933 the British added a giant clock tower inside the fort which is a major addition in the construction of the fort. Later they also built a porch so that the commissioner can park its car safely here. It has a sculpture of a tortoise on top of it along with the initials of king Vijayendra.
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What’s more?
Further you will find a small square mandapa in the fort. This is a stone mandapa with beautiful surroundings. According to history this mandapa was a favourite spot for the kings who stayed at this fort. One of the things that makes this madapa alluring is its location. It is located on an elevated ground that offers a panoramic view of the whole area. This is something that the visitors here love witnessing and the sight is worth witnessing too.
Also the fort houses some secret passages and paths which further adds to the mystery of this location. Overall the fort is one of the most thoughtful constructions. With the passage of time more structures got added to the main construction of the fort. And the fort retained its charm through all the constructions and renovations. At present this is an attractive site for the visitors and you should plan a visit here too.
Madikeri Fort Museum
The museum in Madikeri Fort is one of the major attractions here. Also this is one of the things that the tourists visit this fort for. Basically this is the same church that the British had built and now this is a museum inside the fort. The St Mark’s Church was a church that the British built in place of a temple in the fort. Also the Madras Government had funded this church during that time of the construction. After India attained independence in 1947 the authorities closed this church. Later in 1971 the Government of Madras took control of the church and they converted it into a museum.
At present the Madikeri Fort Museum is under the control of Karnataka State Archeological Department. This museum houses several items that reflect the historical connections. There are a lot of artifacts here that belong from the British era. There is a portrait of Field Marshal K M Cariappa who was an important personality in Kodagu. Several artifacts related to the royal families and some belonging to the fort are also present here.
Other than that the fort also houses the District Prison, Mahatma Gandhi Public Library, Kote Maha Ganapathi Temple. The Kote Maha Ganapathi Temple is one of the oldest parts of this fort. Also it is one of the most visited areas of the fort too.
Location Map For Madikeri Fort Coorg
Wrapping Up!
The Madikeri Fort photos are unable to do justice to how picturesque the location looks in reality. So if you are ever visiting Coorg you cannot miss out on visiting this location. The museum here and the beautiful structure of the fort will give you a good insight about the history of the land. It will be an interesting visit for you and the structure will leave you spellbound. Forts like Madikeri Fort are examples of the strong architecture that the ancient structures possess. Even after so many years of its construction the fort stands tall in all its glory.
A visit to this fort will be interesting, informative as well as exciting at the same time. So let me know when you are planning a trip to this majestic fort in Coorg. Also let me know if this article on the Madikeri Fort is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
