Manjarabad Star Fort (8-pointed).
Sakleshpur visitors are mostly weekend coffee-plantation travellers from Bengaluru and Mangalore — few realise the small hill 6km west of town holds India's only octagonal (8-pointed star) fort, built by Tipu Sultan in 1792. The fort is unsigned from NH-75 and requires a 1km uphill walk from the parking lot.WHY NOBODY KNOWS
A laterite-stone octagonal fort built by Tipu Sultan in 1792 to monitor British movements between Mangalore and Mysore through the Western Ghats. The 8-pointed star plan, unique in India, was inspired by French Vauban-style military architecture (Tipu's French allies helped design it). The central mirror-like water tank reflects the sky — when the fort was active, soldiers reportedly used it to detect approaching British troops via sky-disturbance reflections. Allow 90 min. ASI-protected; free entry; sunrise to sunset.
