Galle Dutch Fort Sri Lanka
Galle Dutch Fort is a Portuguese fortress that was built in 1588 at the bay of Galle on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. This fortress is complete with 14 bastions, making it one of the best-preserved and finest examples of a fortified city in Asia built by Europeans, showcasing a mix of European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. UNESCO declared Galle Dutch Fort a World Heritage Site in 1988 under the name of the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications. It covers an area of 52 hectares within its walls. A lighthouse was installed on the Utrecht bastion, and a tower was erected for the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1883. The most prominent buildings in the fort complex include the Commandant’s residence, the arsenal, and the gun house.
Dutch Fort
The Portuguese, under the leadership of Lorenzo de Almeida, made their first landing in Ceylon in 1505. Initially, the Portuguese constructed a temporary fort in Galle. However, the Dutch, who conquered Sri Lanka in 1640, captured the Galle Fort and reconstructed it with further expansions and reinforcements. They converted Galle Fort into their administrative centre, enhancing its security with measures such as moats, trusses, and sentry points.
The fort of Galle was handed over to the English by the Dutch in 1796, one week after the surrender of Colombo. The entrance to the fort is constructed with cut stones, semicircular stones, and arches, resembling the nature of a cavern.
These creations signify the uniqueness of Dutch architecture and technology. Dutch architects demonstrated their architectural and construction superiority through the creation of warehouses, bastions, the Dutch Hospital, the Protestant Church and churchyard, as well as the residences of Dutch governors and commanders. The architectural style that was popular in 17th-century Holland included Corinthian patterns, which are often associated with Baroque and Rococo styles. Most of the Dutch buildings in Sri Lanka exhibit these Corinthian patterns.
Galle provides an outstanding example of an urban ensemble, featuring an exceptional sewer system from the 17th century, which was flushed at high tide, taking sewage away to the sea, controlled by a pumping station formerly activated by a windmill on the Triton bastion. In the structure of the ramparts, coral is frequently used alongside granite.
Things to do in Galle
Walk through Old Dutch Fort
Maritime museum Galle
Galle village tour
Walk Along the Galle Ramparts
Galle National Museum
Visit Amangalla Hotel
Visit Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Warehouse – Old Spice Warehouse
Enjoy SeaFood restaurants in Fort
