Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort

Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort
General information
Architectural style	Dravidian
Town or city	Tiruchirappalli
Country	India
Coordinates	10°49′41″N 78°41′49″E / 10.828°N 78.697°E / 10.828; 78.697Coordinates: 10°49′41″N 78°41′49″E / 10.828°N 78.697°E / 10.828; 78.697
Construction started	Various times since 580
Cost	Unknown
Owner	Archaeological Survey of India, Government of Tamil Nadu
Technical details
Structural system	Indo Saracenic Dravidian Architecture.
Design and construction
Architect	Various (Pallavas, Cholas, Madurai Nayaks)
Engineer	Unknown
Website
www.thiruchyrockfort.org

Tiruchirappalli Rockfort is a historic fortification and temple complex built on an ancient rock. It is located in the city of Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India. It is constructed on a 83 metres (272 ft) high rock that may date to over one billion years ago. There are two Hindu temples inside, the Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Rockfort and the Thayumanaswami Temple, Rockfort. Other local tourist attractions include the famous Pallava-era Ganesha temple and the Madurai Nayak-era fort. The fort complex has witnessed fierce battles between the Madurai Nayakas and Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur, Carnatic region and Maratha Imperial forces. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic Wars, helping lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. The Rockfort is the most prominent landmark of the city.

The name "Rockfort" comes from frequent military fortifications built here, first by the emperors of the Vijayanagara Empire and later by the British Empire during the Carnatic Wars. The oldest structure in the fort is a cave temple built by the Pallavas in 580. During the Chola period, the nearby town of Woraiyur was their capital, but the Pallavas did not keep control of this strategic city and lost it to the Pandyas. The Cholas reasserted themselves in the 10th century. Trichy continued to be in their possession until the decline of the empire, after which it became a Vijayanagara stronghold. In the mid 14th century, the region was controlled by the Delhi Sultanate after Malik Kafur's raid on South India. They were ousted and the region came under the control of Vijayanagara. During the early part of the 16th century, the region came under the control of the Madurai Nayaks, who were the earlier governors of Vijayanagara Empire. However, it was under the Nayaks of Madurai that Tiruchirapalli prospered in its own right and grew to be the city that it is today. The Madurai Nayaks constructed the Rock Fort Temple Lake along with major walls as foundations, establishing the town as a trading city and later, their capital.

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Wikipedia