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Vattakottai Fort:

            Vattakottai Fort or Circular fort it was built in the 18th century (1729-58) as a coastal defence-fortification and barracks in the erstwhile Travancore kingdom. Its located about 7 kms from Kanyakumari.  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.

       
            The fort is made of granite blocks and, today, a part of the fort extends into the sea.The fort is enclosed by walls 25 to 26 feet high, including the parapet, 29 feet thick at the front, 18 feet at the corners and 6 feet at the rear. The Vattakottai occupies an area of about three and a half acres of land. There was previously a tunnel, four feet in width, which connected the Circular fort with the Padmanabhapuram but later this path was sealed due o various reasons. 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.

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