St Angelo Fort

If you visit Kannur, make sure to visit the old yet most famous St. Angelo Fort also called the Kannur Fort. It was built by Don Francisco de Almeida; the first Portuguese Viceroy in India in the year 1505 A.D. St. Angelo Fort is a sea shore fort of the Kannur (Cannanore) Town. You can get a beautiful glimpse of the Arabian Sea overlooking the fort.

St. Angelo Fort has a long history. First captured by the Dutch in 1663, the fort was sold to Ali Raja, the first Muslim ruler of Kerala in 1772. Finally, the British took over the fort in 1790. The British developed this fort as their military center. You can still find some of the old canons inside St. Angelo Fort. Today, this fort is under the control of the Archeological Survey of India.

Many people believe that there is a secret tunnel inside St. Angelo Fort. This tunnel was built so as to connect the fort with the near by Thalassery Fort which is 21 km from the Kannur fort. This under passage is said to be used by the soldiers to escape during times of enemy attack. St Angelo Fort is a triangular shaped laterite fort including moats, and bastions. You can still feel the echoes of canons and gun shots as you enter the fort.

The Angelo Fort offers a fascinating view of the Moppila Bay, the Dharmadom Island and the Arakkal Mosque. Today, Moppila Bay is developed into a modern fishing harbor, under an Indo-Norwegian pact. You can even catch sight of the palm beaches from St Angelo Fort.

How to reach:

  -   By Airways: Karipur International Airport, Kozhikode is about 93 km away.

  -   By Railways: Nearest railway station is Kannur, about 3 km away.

  -   By Roadways: Kannur is well connected roads.