St. Angelo Fort

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A view of the Arabian Sea from St. Angelo's Fort, Kannur

St. Angelo Fort (also known as Kannur Fort or Kannur Kota), is a fort facing the Arabian Sea, situated 3 km from the town of Kannur, a city in Kerala state, south India.

1 History
2 Tourism
3 Photo Album: St.Angelo's fort
4 See also
5 External links

St. Angelo's Fort was built in 1505 by Sir Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India and is on the Arabian sea about 3 km from Kannur town. The fort changed hands several times. In 1663 the Dutch captured it and sold it to the Arakkal Royal Family in 1772. The British conquered it in 1790 and transformed it into one of their major military stations on the Malabar Coast. It is fairly well preserved as a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind it can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Dutch captured the fort from the Portuguese in 1663, then later sold the fort to king Ali Raja of Arakkal.

In 1790 the British seized it and transformed it into their chief military station in Malabar.

In the 19th century, the British established the Cannanore Cantonment, which includes the St. Angelo Fort.

St Angelo's fort is a most important historical monument and tourist centre. Here, the Kerala Police have posted six tourism policemen for protection and guidance to the tourists. Among them one policeman, named Sathyan Edakkad, has detailed knowledge about this fort and the surrounding places. He wrote and published a book in Malayalam language named Vasco da Gamayum Charitrathile Kaanapurangalum (Vasco da Gama and the unknown pages of history). In this book, he describes the past and present situation of the fort.^[1]

Inside St.Angelo's fort

The Moppila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort. The fort is now well-maintained under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India. Tourists are allowed entry to the fort every day of the week between 8 AM to 6 PM.

Kannur fort, inside view.	Cannon on top of the fort. Mappila Bay can also be seen.	Inside St.Angelo's fort.	Outside view of the horse stable.
The military insignia on the fort wall.	Burial stone Deciphered by Tourism Police Sathyan,	The chapel inside the fort.	The stairway leads to the top of the fort wall. Note that the whole of the fort is made with laterite material.
The trench outside the fort wall, to protect the fort from enemies.	View of Mappila Bay from St. Angelo Fort.	Remains of the early oil lamp lighthouse inside the fort.	Inside view of the horse stable.
Another view from the top of the horse stable.