The fort sits on a rise at the top end of Madikeri's bazaar, its laterite walls and bastions still mostly intact. It was first built of mud by the Haleri Raja Muddu Raja in the late 17th century, then rebuilt in stone by Tipu Sultan during his brief takeover in 1781.
Inside the walls today you will find a small St Mark's church (now a museum), a colonial-era clock tower, and the district government offices. The exhibits cover Kodava history and the bloody struggle between the Haleris, Tipu Sultan, and the British. Free entry.