Kottappuram Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1523 using laterite stone, once guarded the estuary where the Periyar river meets the Arabian Sea and served as a key trading post on the Malabar coast. The Dutch East India Company seized it in 1663 and expanded it into their main regional trading base, until Tipu Sultan's forces later demolished much of the structure. Only a single fragment survives today, preserved under the Muziris Heritage Project's ongoing excavation and restoration work.
- How to Reach: Kottappuram is about 3 km south of Kodungallur town, near the Kottappuram bridge over the Periyar. Take an auto from Kodungallur, or use the Muziris Heritage boat and bus circuit, which stops here.
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