Perched on a hillock, strategically built to ward off attack by enemies, the Medak Fort now serves as a vantage point for those who want to have a panoramic view of Medak town. The walls, built with carved rocks piled one over the other stand intact even now.
The fort built in the 12th Century by Kakatiya rulers was initially known by the name Methuku Durgam. It was later taken over by Qutb Shahi rulers, who carried out modifications.
To attract more visitors, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) spent about `51 lakh to renovate the fort.
APTDC is going to introduce a package tour costing around `700 per person under which visits will be arranged to the fort, Medak church, Edupayalu, Singur and Manjeera dam in one day, said G Manohar, general manager (marketing), APTDC.
A part of fort, which was then used as a passage for elephants, is converted into AC accommodation with modern facilities and a restaurant. For AC suites, the corporation charges `1,200 per day, excluding taxes, and AC Delux rooms cost `1,000.
The fort, situated in Medak town, 90 km from Hyderabad, is spread over one and a half acres. It attracts minimum of 100 visitors everyday.
The three main entrances named Prathama Dwaram, Simha Dwaram and Gaja Dwaram welcome visitors to the fort. The lion and elephant carvings on the entrances make one think that names given to the gateways are apt. A few steps up the fort, local guide points to a map of sorts on a rock lying on the ground, which he claims is the route map of secret tunnel in the fort.
Though some parts of the fort are crumbled, most of it is still standing. Granary, jail, horse and elephant stables makes one wonder at the elaborate planning.
Though situated on a hillock, the fort has three wells close to each other. While the Raja and Rani baavis (King and Queen wells) went dry, the Paala Baavi still has some water.