The Galle Fort, Sri Lanka - The Leisure Traveler's Paradis

The Galle Fort is located in the bay of Galle in the Southern coast of Sri Lanka. The Galle fort is a major attraction for tourists, local and foreign alike, and attracts thousands of visitors every year. Originally built by the Portuguese in 1588, the fort was renovated and extensively fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards. Even after almost 425 years this fort stands as a historical, architectural and archeological treasure trove, and has been designated as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

The existence of the Port of Galle can be traced back to 125 AD, when it was a busy port, trading with almost all of the ancient civilizations including Greek, Arab and Chinese merchants. It is at this port that the Portuguese first landed here under the guidance and leadership of the famous Lorenzo de Almeida in 1505 AD. The Portuguese maintained a healthy relationship with the king of Sri Lanka at the time, King Dharmaparakramabahu, which became the cornerstone for the construction of the fort. Along with the fort, the Portuguese also built a Franciscan Chapel, which lies in ruins today, inside the fort in 1541. Later on the Portuguese had moved to Colombo, but before they were able to entrench themselves, the Sinhalese King Raja Singha I from Sitawaka led an assault on Colombo forcing the Portuguese to retreat back to Galle where they entrenched themselves.

Things changed drastically when the Dutch landed in 1640. The King Raja Singha I successor, King Raja Singha II sought the help of the Dutch in order to get rid of the Portuguese who were holding out in the fort. With a huge force of up to 2,500 men, the Dutch managed to Liberate the Fort from the Portuguese. After liberating it from the enemy, the Dutch troops occupied the fort and began to fortify it, and rebuilding it into it's present form in the Dutch Architecture.

The British captured the fort in 23rd February 1796, just two weeks after the capture of Colombo from the Dutch. Since most of the British operations were centered in and around the city of Colombo and the Colombo Harbor, not much attention was paid to the fort in Galle, which remained largely unchanged under the British rule.

The Galle fort today is one of the most important and unique historical attractions in the country that provide invaluable insight into the history of Colonial Sri Lanka.