Madikeri Fort

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Madikeri Fort also called Mercara Fort was first founded by Mudduraja in the second half of the 17th century. He also built a palace inside the fort. It was eventually rebuilt and restructured in granite by Tipu Sultan who named the site as Jaffarabad. Mercara Fort is among the many forts, build or rebuild by Tipu Sultan. In 1790, Dodda Vira Rajendra took control of the fort. The British who added to the fort in 1834. The palace was renovated by Linga Rajendra II in 1812-1814. In the north-east corner at the entrance are two life size masonry elephants and a church is present in the south-east corner. Madikeri Deputy Commissioner's Office is located inside the Madikeri Fort premises. The church building houses a museum, which contains several items related to history - mainly the British rule era, and also has a huge portrait of Coorg's eminentt personality Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa. St. Mark's Church is located within the fort and was raised in 1859, by the officers and men of the East India Company, after the fort came in the hands of EIC, after the fall of Tipu Sultan. The building was funded by the Government of Madras,and placed under the Church of England in India, Diocese of Madras. The church was closed after Indian independence, and taken over by the Government of Karnataka in 1971.The building now houses the Madikeri Fort Museum, managed by the Karnataka State Archaeological Department.The shows stuff ranging from Muddy Raja to Tipu Sultan to British. Archeological Museum, Madikeri Fort,India