Topography

Kerala's topography dictates the placement and architecture of its monuments. At sea level along the Malabar Coast, estuarine islands like Fort Kochi host colonial settlements and maritime infrastructure. The midland laterite plateaus provided the very building material (laterite stone) used to construct regional forts and palaces. The highest topographical sites include the Edakkal Caves, situated at an elevation of about 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) on Ambukuthi Mala, and ancient hill shrines that dot the peaks of the Western Ghats.