Located in the heart of the city of Vellore in Tamil Nadu and sprawling over an area of more than 1600 feet (500 m), the large 16th century Vellore Fort, known for its grand ramparts, wide moat and robust granite masonry, is one of the best examples of military architecture in South India.

The fort, one of the popular tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu, was built in the year 1566 by Chinna Bommi Nayaka and Thimma Reddy Nayaka, clan leaders under emperor Sadashiva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire, a late medieval Hindu empire that ruled a large area of southern India during those days. Even in the 17th century, it was under the control of the Rayas of the Aravidu Dynasty, the fourth and last Hindu dynasty of Vijayanagara Empire, who used it as a base during the battle of Toppur, a civil war in 1616, resulting in the complete disintegration of the already declining Vijayanagara Empire. The huge fort, equipped with four massive gateways and containing several structures like the Hyder Mahal, Tipu Mahal, Begum Mahal, the beautiful Jalakandeswarar Temple, Vellore Fort Mosque, built during the last Arcot Nawab period, St John’s church, constructed during the early British period, and the Archaeological Survey of India Museum, displaying several items of historic value, recovered from the region, is a mute witness of many significant battles and important events that shaped the history of South India.

The Rayas of the Aravidu Dynasty had long-running battles with their old rivals, the Bijapur Sultanate, also known as the Adil Shahi dynasty, who finally captured Vellore Fort in 1656, but they also lost their control over the fort in 1678, when after a prolonged siege of fourteen-months, the Marathas captured it.

The Maratha rulers, under the command of Chhatrapati Shivaji, strengthened the fortifications of the fort and ruled the area in relative peace for the next 29 years. However, in 1707, following the death of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the Delhi Army under the leadership of Daud Khan captured Vellore Fort after defeating the Marathas. During that period of struggle for the Delhi throne, several Muslim governors declared independence, when the Vellore Fort came under the control of the Nawabs of Arcot. The British East India Company appeared on the scene when during the conflict between the Nawab and his sons-in-law they extended their support to the Nawab and the French took the side of the rival claimants, resulting in the Carnatic Wars. Ultimately, at the end of the First Carnatic Wars, the British took control of the Vellore Fort in 1768, and used it as a major military station in Southern India, until the independence of India.

In 1806, the soldiers of the two infantry regiments of the Madras Army stationed at the Vellore Fort were ordered by the British commander-in-chief to wear round hats instead of turbans, shave their beards, remove caste markings and jewellery, to improve their appearance during parade, which was considered by the Indian sepoys as an offensive attack on their religious beliefs, and the situation was worsened by rumours that the hats were made of cow and pig hides.

Consequently, before the sunrise on 10 July 1806, the infuriated Indian sepoys attacked the European barracks in the fort campus and by late morning killed around 15 officers and 100 British soldiers. Although the mutiny was put down before the end of the day by several squadrons of British and Indian cavalry stationed in Arcot, the British took it to a court of enquiry and finally decided to exile the family of Tipu Sultan from Vellore to faraway Calcutta, as some of the rebelling soldiers urged the sons of the deceased Sultan to give them leadership against the British. Incidentally, termed as Vellore Mutiny, it was the first significant military rebellion in India, experienced by the British.

Located at an altitude of 720 feet (220 m) within a broken mountain range and built with granite blocks, transported from the nearby quarries in Arcot and Chittoor districts, the impregnable Vellore Fort is surrounded by huge double walls with large bastions projecting irregularly, along with a wide moat, which was once used as an additional line of defence, swarmed by hundreds of crocodiles, ready to grab any possible intruder.

The fort complex houses the Jalakandeswarar Temple, beautifully decorated with exquisite sculptures and carvings, depicting various scenes from Hindu mythology and legends. Built by the Vijayanagara king and dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple was converted into a granary by the Bijapur Sultanate, but was later restored by the Marathas, who also added a tall gopuram, a decorated monumental tower of the South Indian temple architectural style, at its entrance.

The mosque in the complex, built with granite stones in Indo-Saracenic architectural style, was constructed in 1750, during last Arcot Nawab's period, while the St John’s Church, the longest standing Church in the Diocese of Vellore, and a fine example of Gothic architecture, complete with stained glass windows, vaulted ceilings and a spire, was raised in 1846 by the then Government of Madras for the employees of the British East India Company, and is now under the control of Archaeological Survey of India. The fort complex also contains several dilapidated structures, like Tipu Mahal, Hyder Mahal, several tombs, and the Muthu Mandapam, a memorial around the grave of Vikrama Rajasinha, the final king of Sri Lanka.

Apart from the above, the Archaeological Survey of India Museum was also built inside the fort campus in 1985. The museum, equipped with four galleries, displays different aspects of the fort’s history and culture, along with various artefacts, weapons, paintings, and sculptures related to the fort and its rulers.