Palakkad Fort

Palakkad Fort is a historic granite fort located in the heart of Palakkad town, Kerala. Built in 1766 by Hyder Ali of Mysore, it is one of the best-preserved forts in Kerala and is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. The fort features massive stone walls, bastions, a surrounding moat, and an open interior ground. It encloses an Anjaneya Swamy Temple and a former jail building, and is set within a garden area known as Fort Maidan.

Visitors can expect a well-preserved square granite fort with thick walls, bastions at corners, and a moat surrounded by gardens. Inside, there is a large open ground, a small Anjaneya Swamy (Hanuman) Temple, and historic structures including a former jail and museum building. Visitors can walk along the ramparts, explore the interior grounds, view the architecture and stone construction, and enjoy the landscaped surroundings and Fort Maidan outside the walls.

Palakkad Fort was built in 1766 by Hyder Ali, ruler of Mysore, to facilitate communication between Coimbatore and the west coast and to serve as a strategic military base. It was rebuilt and strengthened by his son Tipu Sultan. The fort was captured by British forces under Colonel Fullarton in 1784 and later by Colonel Stuart in 1790, and subsequently used as a British garrison. It is among the oldest and best-preserved forts in Kerala.

The fort houses the Anjaneya Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, which remains an active place of worship. The fort and its surrounding Fort Maidan serve as a cultural landmark of Palakkad and a venue for public gatherings and exhibitions, representing the town's layered Mysore and colonial heritage.