The Madikeri Fort is a famous historical landmark that is located in Coorg in Karnataka in the southern part of India. Situated in the centre of the town of Madikeri, the majestic fort continues to stand in all its glory till date. It offers tourists with insights and information about the bygone era and indeed bears testimony to the history of Coorg and all that the town witnessed.
The Madikeri Fort is a famous historical landmark that is located in Coorg in Karnataka in the southern part of India. Situated in the center of the town of Madikeri, the majestic fort continues to stand in all its glory to date. It offers tourists with insights and information about the bygone era and indeed bears testimony to the history of Coorg and all that the town witnessed.
The elevated structures of the fort also provide panoramic views of the town, which is undoubtedly breathtaking and beautiful. It cannot be argued that the Madikeri Fort is the most famous and most loved tourist attraction in Coorg, which is precisely why tourists enjoy visiting the attraction time and again.
The then king of Coorg, Muddu Raja, constructed the Madikeri Fort in the second half of the 17th century when Madikeri was declared as the new capital of Coorg. He also built a palace inside the main structure, and the fort had been constructed as a mud structure. Tipu Sultan then captured the fort, ordered that the entire structure be rebuilt in granite, and named the site as Jaffarabad.
Architecture and Structure of Madikeri Fort: The Madikeri Fort is an excellent example of spectacular architectural designs and styles of construction. Two replicas of elephants, life-size and in stone, can be found in the north-east corner of the fort complex, as soon as one enters the fort. The structure of the palace inside the fort is a massive and spacious one. It is 110 feet in length and comprises of two stories in all. In 1933, the British added a giant clock tower in the fort while they were making changes to the structure. A porch to safely park the commissioner's car was also built. A sculpture of a tortoise, with the initials of King Vijayarajendra, etched on it can also be found at the Madikeri Fort.
Madikeri Fort Museum: Several attractions catch the attention of the people who visit the Madikeri Fort. Perhaps the most exciting feature of the fort is the Church-turned-museum, which is located within the compound. Known as the St. Marks church, it was raised by the officers of the East India Company, and the Government of Madras funded the building. After the country attained independence, the church was shut down, and the Government of Madras took control of it in 1971. It was later on converted into a museum.
The church is built in the Gothic style, with stained glass decorative windows. The building measures 48x24 ft2, with 2 small rooms in the west side with doorways between them and the nave. One of these rooms served as the store room and the other as the vestry for the choir. The chancel which was added in 1871, has a breadth of 20 ft. and a depth of 22 ft. The organ chamber was raised in 1896 by raising local subscriptions.
The building of the St. Mark's Church, now holds a museum of artefacts and memorabilia from the British period, Hindu and Jain sculptures, village deities and antique weapons. The museum also has a section dedicated to Field Marshal K M Cariappa, displaying his awards and honours. The museum is maintained by the State Archaeological Department, Government of Karnataka. Coins and documents of the erstwhile Kingdom of Coorg are also displayed.
Apart from the Madikeri Fort Museum, the Madikeri Fort houses other places of interest, such as the District Prison, the Kote Maha Ganapathi temple and the Mahatma Gandhi Public Library. The Kote Maha Ganapathi temple is considered to be the most ancient part of the fort and is the most visited one too.
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