Madikeri Fort is situated at
Madikeri, the administrative headquarters of
Kodagu District, in
Karnataka. The Lingayat Rajas ruled over Kodagu from 1600 AD onwards and established their capital at Madikeri where they built a mud fort. The fort was renovated by
Tipu Sultan in 1781 and rechristened it as Jaffarabad.
Madikeri Fort, built of brick and mortar, had witnessed several fierce battles. The two life-size elephants built in mortar catch the eye as one enters the fort. The fort offers panoramic views of the city from its walls.
Madikeri Fort now houses a temple, chapel, prison and a small museum.
Raja's Seat, situated nearby, was the spot where the kings of Kodagu spent their evenings, enjoying the spectacular sunsets from the top of a hill. Omkareswara Temple and Vijaya Vinayaka Temple are the important places of worship nearby.
The nearest airport is at Mangalore (136 km). The nearby railheads are at Mangalore and Mysore.
