If exploring old forts and learning how they came into being interests you, then Madikeri Fort should be on your must-visit list. The fort has been around since the 17th century and has been renovated at least five times. While the original structure was built by Mudduraja (it also had a palace built inside it at this point), it was later rebuilt with stone and bricks by Tipu Sultan, then changed into mortar and bricks by Lingarajendra Wodeyar II and eventually renovated by the British. Phew! Quite some history to take in there, no?
Coming back to the present, the moment you enter the fort, you’ll see two life-sized elephants made of mortar. There’s also a museum in the premises. The story behind the museum is that when the British had taken over, they decided to remove the temple dedicated to Virabhadra and build an Anglican Church (in Gothic style) in its place. The church was later converted into a museum, where you’ll find today antiques relating to Coorg heritage. Apart from the museum, there’s also the Mahatma Gandhi Public Library, the Kote Maha Ganapathi temple (which has a lit festival during Dasara) and the district prison in the premises of the fort.