Pallippuram Fort

Pallippuram Fort (also historically recorded in Portuguese as Paleport Castelo em Cima) is a hexagonal stone coastal fortification located at the northern extremity of Vypeen (Vyppin) island in Ernakulam district, Kerala. According to the provided sources, Portuguese sailors first constructed a timber fort on 27 September 1503; it was rebuilt in stone in 1505. The site is described in secondary sources as the oldest existing European fort in India. The fort passed into Dutch hands in 1663 and was later sold to the Kingdom of Travancore in 1789. Architecturally the fort's hexagonal plan is locally referred to as ayikkotta or alikotta. The supplied archival record of Kerala Legislative Assembly proceedings (13 July 2015) references the fort in the context of a question hour item about a proposed or discussed military museum linked to Pallippuram Fort, indicating contemporary administrative and cultural interest; the proceedings excerpt do not confirm the establishment or operational status of any museum. The available sources focus on historical, architectural, and administrative aspects of the site and do not report condition assessments, visitor access details, or demolition.