One of the oldest surviving European forts in India, built by the Portuguese in 1503, Pallipuram Fort, on Vypeen Island, is an iconic landmark of the city. Preserving vestiges of European heritage, the fort has been built in a hexagonal shape and constructed with lime, laterite and wood. The architecture of the structure is notable as it has been built on a lower floor at an elevation of five ft. The layout of the fort is such that it would have been easy to mount guns to command the quarters around the fort. Inside, there is a vast open space that leads to the cellar. Local lore says that the cellar is a tunnel that takes you to the Cheraman Masjid in Kodungalloor.