About this destination
Discover Thangassery Fort Ruins
At a glance
Why this place stands out
Ruins of the Portuguese St. Thomas Fort, founded at Thangassery in 1519, forming part of Kollam's coastal heritage alongside the lighthouse, churches, cemetery and old port landscape.
Thangassery Fort Ruins are the surviving remains of St. Thomas Fort at Thangassery in Kollam city, Keralam. Keralam Tourism dates the Portuguese fort to 1519 CE, when this stretch of coast formed an important part of the region's maritime trade and European colonial competition.
Thangassery later came under Dutch and British influence, leaving the neighbourhood with a layered built heritage. Today the fort remains are part of a wider historical landscape that includes the Thangassery Lighthouse, the Portuguese cemetery, old churches, the former port area and the Arabian Sea coast. The surviving masonry does not present a complete fortress, but the ruins help visitors visualise Kollam's role in early modern Indian Ocean trade and colonial history.
A visit works well as a walking or driving circuit through Thangassery, especially when combined with the lighthouse and seafront. Visitors should avoid climbing fragile historic walls and respect any protected or restricted sections.
Nammude Keralam
