Introduction

Originally made in mud, the 110 feet long Madikeri Fort was re-built in stone (with secret underground passages) by Tipu Sultan. Much later Lingarajendra Wodeyar II reconstructed this two-storied fort with brick and mortar between 1812 - 1817. Now the District Collector’s Office, this palace has a stone formation of a tortoise with the initials of King Vijayarajendra and two life size stone replicas of the royal elephants killed by King Veera Raja. In 1855, the British built a Gothic styled Anglican St. Mark's Church which has now been converted into a museum. After a couple of facelifts a Clock Tower and a portico were added by the British in 1933.

Now under the Archeological department, this church turned museum is home to some of the historical artifacts and a section dedicated to Field Martial Cariappa. Other areas of interest within the fort premises are the district prison, the Kote Maha Ganapathi temple and the Mahatma Gandhi Public Library. The Kote Maha Ganapathi temple is also one of the main temples in Coorg which competes during the Madikeri Dussera Festival.

Special Attributes

The British built a Gothic styled Anglican St. Mark's Church which has now been converted into a museum.

Nuisance

The site is very peaceful and free of irritants.

Dressing restrictions

No such restriction

Connectivity

The fort is in the heart of town around 2kms from the Government bus depot and no prior permission is required for the visit. Auto rickshaw would be the ideal choice.

Enjoyed by

Families, Backpackers

Exposure

No exposure

Avoidable Season

Open through the year

Facilities

Basic, plan accordingly

Things Not Allowed

No such restriction

Tip

Ideally visit the fort during the day to get a better view of the premises.

Type of site

Palace Museum