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Hardly anything remains of the ramparts but the Main Guard Gate is
still intact. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars
and according to an inscription, mainly contributed to lay the
foundations of the British Empire in India.
At the top of the rock is the Uchipillaiyar Koil, a temple dedicated to
Lord Vinayaka from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of
Tiruchirappalli. A flight of steps leads to the Mathrubutheswarar of
Thayumanaswami temple, dedicated to Lord Siva where the lingam is a
projection of the rock itself. Below the Siva temple are the two Pallava
cave temples that have beautiful sculptures of the 6th and 7th
centuries. At the foot of the Rock Fort are a tank and a pavilion which
are used during the float festival of the temples.
Near the tank is the house where Robert Clive lived when he was in
Tiruchirappalli and there is an 18th century Church built by Reverend
Schwartz of Denmark. The Rock fort Hillock is said to be 230 crore years
old. The materials like Quartz used in glass making and felspar used in
ceramic are found in this Rock formation.
Tiruchirappalli International Airport or Trichy International
Airport is an international airport serving Tiruchirapalli
metropolis. This Airport is the nearest airport
to this Temple.
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