St. Angelo's Fort was built in 1505 by Dom Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India and is on the Arabian sea about 3 km from Kannur town. It was attacked in vain by the local Indian ruler in the Siege of KANNUR(1507).
On August 1509 Almeida, refusing to recognize Afonso de Albuquerque's as the new portuguese governor to supersede himself, arrested him in this fortress after having fought the naval Battle of Diu. Afonso de Albuquerque was released after three months' confinement, and become governor on the arrival of the grand-marshal of Portugal with a large fleet, in October 1509.
The fort changed hands several times. In 1663 the Dutch captured it and sold it to the Arakkal Royal Family in 1772. The British conquered it in 1790 and transformed it into one of their major military stations on the Malabar Coast.
It is fairly well preserved as a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind it can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
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The fort is in Cannanore cantonment area. St Angelo's fort is a most important historical monument and a good tourist centre. Here Kerala Police have posted 6 Tourism Policemen for the protection and guidance to the tourists. Among them one Policeman Sathyan Edakkad has detailed knowledge about this fort and the surrounding places. He wrote and published a book in Malayalam language named Vasco da Gamayum Charitrathile Kaanapurangalum (Vasco da Gama and the unseen pages of history). In this book, he describes the past and present situation of the fort.
The Moppila Bay Harbor and Arakkal Mosque are near the fort. The fort is now renovated and well-maintained under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India. Tourists are allowed entry to the fort every day of the week between 8 AM to 6 PM.
Location:
Nearest Railway Station: Kannur
Nearest Bus Station: Kannur
Nearest Airport: Kozhikode (120 kms).
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