kanyakumari,Vattakottai Fort
Vattakottai Fort (or 'Circular Fort') is a seaside fort near Kanyakumari, TamilNadu the southern tip of India. It was built in the 18th century as a coastal defence-fortification and barracks in the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.
It was constructed under the supervision of Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, an ex-Dutch naval officer of the Dutch East India Company, who became commander of the Travancore Army (the very army that defeated him in the Battle of Colachel) in the 18th century, after he earned the trust of the Travancore King Marthanda Varma. De Lannoy constructed Vattakottai, as part of the defence-fortifications he undertook throughout Travancore.
Kanyakumari to Vattakottai is a journey of
about an hour or less than an hour by car and might take a little more time by
bus. Vattakottai is the name of a fort, which is also known, by the name of
Circular Fort. In spite of the name, the Vattakottai fort is actually
rectangular in shape. The adjoining place of the Circular Fort is now used as
picnic spot. Even parts of the fort have been converted to holiday home. The
river that flows by the side of the fort and the scenic beauty of the
surrounding place makes for a perfectly romantic setting.
The fort is made of granite blocks and, today, a part of the fort extends into the sea. It is a protected site under the Indian archaeological department. A major renovation of the fort was undertaken recently by the department, and the site is now a popular tourist spot.
Vattakottai Fort commands a picturesque view of both the sea on the one side, and the hills (Western Ghats) on the other. Another interesting feature near the site is a beach of black sands. It is about 7 km (4.3 mi) from Kanyakumari town.
