Devanahalli Fort

Karnataka, India

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Devanahalli Fort, located about 35 kilometers north of Bangalore in Karnataka, India, was originally built as a mud fort in 1501 by chieftain Malla Byre Gowda, who was a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire.

In the 18th century, Hyder Ali reconstructed the fort in stone, creating most of the existing structure. The fort later came under the control of Tipu Sultan, Hyder Ali’s son and a prominent ruler known as the “Tiger of Mysore,” who was born at the fort in 1751.

The fort’s oval stone walls cover around 20 acres and feature twelve semi-circular bastions with gun points for defense, multiple gates with decorative plasterwork, and remnants of residential quarters and temples including the Venugopalaswamy and Siddalingeshwara temples. It played strategic military roles during the Mysore Wars and was eventually captured by the British in 1791 during the Anglo-Mysore War.

Today, Devanahalli Fort stands as a well-preserved historical monument, reflecting its rich military and cultural heritage, accessible to visitors close to Bengaluru International Airport.