Madikeri Fort was first founded by Mudduraja in the second half of the 17th century. St. Mark's Church is located within the Fort and was raised in 1859, by the officers and men of the East India Company. The building was funded by the Government of Madras, and placed under the Church of England in India, Diocese of Madras. The Church was closed after Indian independence, and taken over by the Government of Karnataka in 1971.[3] The building now houses the Madikeri Fort Museum, managed by the Karnataka State Archaeological Department.
