Manora Fort
Located at the Sarabendraraja Pattinam, the fort overlooks the Bay of Bengal in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. Touted as one of the oldest forts in the whole of India, the fort is built in the Dravidian architectural style by the Maratha ruler Serfoji II. The fort was built during 1814–1815 to commemorate the proud advance that the British force was able to achieve over the force of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The architectural importance of Manora Fort:
Manora Fort principally adopts its name “Manora”, from the corresponding English word “Minaret”. From the nearest shore, the hexagonal tower, which is built within the fort, is an 8-storied building, which is about 23-meters tall, looking over the majestic Bay of Bengal. With eaves, circular stairways, and arched casements that disconnect one storey from another, the fort looks just like a flawless North Indian pagoda. The Fort consists of many common rooms used for stationing troops, and walls of the fort have standard height at all the sides. Effectively incorporated with large doors and windows, the rooms are designed high-quality ventilations, making the stay even better and comfortable. The fort also has impeccable water supply system making effective use of the ponds nearby. Adding exceptionally to the beauty of this magnificent structure is the coast that surrounds one sides of the fort. Purely built on the Dravidian architectural style, the fort does not take any element from other architectural styles as the French, Islamic or the British.
The historical importance of Manora Fort:
The fort also is an excellent spot to understand the history of Thanjavur. For people who are keen on learning the history and culture of Thanjavur, the fort gives great glimpses of the past of the place through the fort. There are legends that talk about the rich trading history of Thanjavur where traders from Sri Lanka used to come to carry out trades with the people there. It is believed that, Serfoji built an underground passage that connects the fort right to the heart of the Thanjavur temple.
The tourism importance of Manora Fort:
One of the most crowd-pleasing and attracting tourist spots in Thanjavur, the fort is a great spot to spend time observing the grand architectural brilliance. Tucked away from the bustling city, the fort serves as a great getaway spot blended with great beauty and energy. The fort is located near a beach which gives a lot of opportunities for the visitors to indulge in a wide range of excellent beach activities. Also for the visitors who are very keen on learning the Dravidian architectural style will find this place a great one. The fort can become a great object of study for people studying architecture, as well. Adding to this is the fact that the fort boasts of the Dravidian architectural style which is rare to see at the forts in India. Over the years, the spot has grown from being just a historical spot to an excellent tourist spot that attracts numerous visitors from India as well as nations worldwide.
