A journey to Kannur is
incomplete without explore the 500-year-old historic monument St. Angelo Fort. The fort is
located about 4 km from the Kannur city center around it takes 12 to 14
minutes. It given a splendid view of
Moppila Bay and Dharmadom Island. This is one of the The three beautiful and gigantic bastions, lighthouse,
cannons, barracks and tombstones are the highlighting features of the fort. the
gigantic bastions built by the Dutch are flanked in and around the structure.
Small gap between the wall filed with the outward facing spouts of cannons made
of the purest iron. The fort is also called as Kannur fort, its in
triangular shape built by the Portuguese Viceroy Don Francesco de Almada. The Fort
was seized by the Dutch in 1663 and later sold to the Ali Raja of the Arakkal
dynasty.The fort stands majestically
with history denoted all over the walls. The Fort was dominated
by the British in 1790 and turned it into its main army Centre in the Malabar
region. Now, it is controlled by the Central Archaeology Department. The fort
was built with red laterite stones, rests on a cliff situated beside the
Arabian Sea and is surrounded by the wonderful garden. Inside the fort we can found
long chapels, stables, a prison and an ammunition storehouse.
HISTORY
During 1498 Vasco da Gama’s visit
to India, the local kolathiri raja granted the land to Portuguese to build a
settlement in present day Kerala. then gave the permission to built a
fort at the given land on 23rd oct 1505 to Dom Francisco de Almeida, he was the first Portuguese
Viceroy of India and is on the Arabian sea coast. On 24th oct 1505
Goncalo Gil Barbosa the Portuguese factor of Cannnore set down the foundation
stone. On 30th oct 1505
The wooden fort was completed.
And its first captain was Lourenco Britto, who led a garrison of 150 Portuguese
men and also controlled two ships in the sea. After the completion of wooden
fort Almeida began using the name Viceroy. And in 1507 he started the stone
fort construction.
The fort was attacked in vain by
the local Indian ruler Zamorin and kolathiri in the siege of Kannur 1507. On August 1509 Dom Francisco, refused to recognize Albuquerque’s as the new Portuguese governor to supplant self, arrested him in
this fortress after having fought the naval battle of diu. Albuquerque was
released after six months confinement and become governor at the arrival of the
grand marshal of Portugal with the large fleet in Oct 1509.
The fort was started to provide navel
supplies to Portuguese conquest of Goa and for the battle against Mamuluk. All
the fort’s expenses were handled with the funding from Goa, the seat of
Portuguese rule in India.
The Dutch captured the fort from the
Portuguese on 15 February 1663. Then they modernized the fort and built the
bastions Hollandia, Zealandia and Friesland. and the original Portuguese fort
was pulled down later. Then the Dutch sold the fort to king Ali Raja of Arakkal
in 1772. After from 1790 to1947 the British used it as their chief Military
station in Malabar. In the year of 2015, thousands of cannonballs weighing
several kilos were discovered from the fort
premises. It is preserved as a
protected monument under the control of Archaeology survey of India with six
tourism policemen are posted here for protection.
A s a historical monument St.
Angelo fort is a best option for different kid of tourists and also a good
place to hangout with your family, kids, friends… most preferably evening view
is best, I think. No doubt that visiting this wonderful place will gives you
pleasure and good experience of travelling...….
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