Posted by Popular forts: Tamil Nadu boasts a rich cultural and architectural heritage which is a blend of Dravidian and European cultures and has a large number of grand and wonderful historical forts to prove so. Paying tribute to the popular heritage and narrating the golden tales from history, these historical forts in Tamil Nadu have a soul of their own and connect us to the past.
There is no repudiation of the fact that the historical forts in Tamil Nadu attract a large number of visitors every year. If you are a traveler and history enthusiast who wants a peek into the cultural and architectural history of Tamil Nadu, you should not think twice before including some of these popular forts in your Tamil Nadu trip planner.
Best Forts to Visit in Tamil Nadu
- Rock Fort
- Vellore Fort
- Gingee Fort
- Udayagiri Fort
- Dindigul Fort
- Alamparai Fort
- Droog Fort
- Krishnagiri Fort
- Fort St George
- Manora Fort
- Vijaynagar Fort
- Vattakottai Fort
- Sadras Dutch Fort
- Thirumayam Fort
Rock Fort
The fort is constructed on a 272 feet high rock and believed to be more than billion year old. Located in Trichy, the Britishers used this fort during the Carnatic Wars. You can still observe two temples, the UcchiPillayar temple and Thayumanaswami temple, located in the premises of the fort. It is one of the tourist attractions in Trichy today.
Vellore Fort
Vellore fort was constructed on the River Palor in the 16th century. It was the headquarters of the Vijaynagar Empire. There is a temple, church and mosque in the fort along with some other buildings. You will be able to see the detailed military architectural styles of Southern India in this fort.
Gingee Fort
Gingee fort is located in one of the historical cities in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. It was built by the Cholas. It was modified at the time of the Vijayanagara period, but then the Gingee Nayaks made it their headquarters during their rule in Tamil Nadu. The fort was also used by the Marathas, during the reign of Shivaji. The height of this fort is around 800 feet and the moat that surrounds it is 80 feet wide. Apart from the history, the other interesting things that you can still witness include granaries, Chenjiamman Temple and prison cells.
Udayagiri Fort
Udayagiri Fort was constructed in the 17th century. However, it was modified in the 18th century by the Travancore rulers. The fort has now been converted into a bio-diversity park. Something very interesting that you can witness at this fort include the tombs of the Dutch admiral De Lennoy and a beautiful chapel that was constructed in his memory.
Dindigul Fort
Dindigul Fort, also called Dindigul Malai Kota, was constructed in the 17th century by Madurai Nayak. It was then taken care of by the Mysore Wodeyars and came into prominence during the era of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali. During the Polygar Wars, the fort was used by the Britishers. Upon visiting the fort, you can see a temple and some cannons.
Alamparai Fort
Overlooking the sea, Alamparai fort was constructed by the Mughals in Kadapakkam village. It is said that there was a 100m dockyard in the fort and commodities like salt, ghee and silk cloth used to be exported from here. The fort was later gifted to the French and then the British conquered it.
Droog Fort
Locals call this fort Bakasur Malai. The fort was built by Tipu Sultan, which was then used as a significant outpost. To reach the fort, you have to hike through the Nonsuch Tea estate.
Krishnagiri Fort
It is one of the forts in the Krishnagiri district. Krishnagiri fort was ruled by many rulers. Now it is protected by the Archeological Survey of India.
The forts of Tamil Nadu are evidence of the cultural heritage of the state and an inseparable part of its legacy. The best time to visit these forts is between October and March and tourists can examine these by taking a car rental service by singlefaretaxi which offers excellent value without compromising with high standards. The cars can also be taken outstation and are available at hourly as well as daily rates.
Fort St George
Fort St George is today one of the most visited forts in Chennai. This was the first that was built by the British in India in 1644. In the present day, it serves as the administrative office of the legislative assembly of the state of Tamil Nadu.
Manora Fort
Manora Fort in Thanjavur was constructed in the 17th century by the Marathas. Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Manora Fort is amazing with its eight stores and a hexagonal tower. The fort was damaged in a tsunami; however, it was renovated in 2007.
Vijaynagar Fort
One of the interesting places is Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, which has some forts and one of them is Vijaynagar Fort. This fort was built by Nayaks as well as Maratha rulers. Vijaynagar Fort is known for its size as it includes the Thanjavur Palace, Sangeetha Mahal, an art gallery Library, with quite some sculptors and paintings and the Shiva Ganga Gardens.
Vattakottai Fort
Vattakottai Fort was constructed by the Dutch for the Travancore kingdom, standing along the seaside. Today, the fort is one of the most visited attractions in Kanyakumari, as you can see the sea on one side, while the western Ghats on the other side look absolutely captivating.
Sadras Dutch Fort
Located in Kalpakkam, Sadras Dutch fort is one of the oldest Dutch forts in the country. The building of the fort started in 1612. The fort witnessed wars and one of its crucial features is the secret tunnel from the cemetery. The distance from Chennai to this fort is 72km and can be reached in just a few hours.
Thirumayam Fort
Spread across 40 acres of land, the Thirumayam Fort was built in the 17th century by the king of Ramnad. The fort had seven concentric walls, out of which only four could survive. The fort has three entrances and there are shrines of Hanuman, Ganesha and Karuppar on the southern end and Bhairava on the northern end. A few other interests in this fort include two rock-cut temples, a natural pond and cannons.