Galle Fort or the Dutch Fort is a Portuguese fortress which was built in 1588 at the bay of Galle on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. This fortress is completed with 14 bastions which is still the best-preserved and best example for the fortified city in Asia built by Europeans by showing the mix of European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. UNESCO declared Galle Dutch Fort as a World Heritage in 1988 under the name of Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications. It covers an area of 52 hectares inside the walls. A lighthouse installed on the Utrecht bastion, and a tower erected for the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1883. A Protestant church also built in Baroque Style in 1775. The most prominent buildings in the fort complex were the Commandant’s residence, the arsenal and the gun house.

History of the Dutch Galle Fort

Portuguese, under the leadership of Lorenzo de Almeida, made their first landing to Ceylon in 1505. At the beginning, Portuguese constructed a temporary fort in Galle. But the Dutch nationals who conquered Sri Lanka in 1640 captured the Galle fort and reconstructed it with further expansions and reinforcements. They converted Galle fort as their administrative center. They developed the fort with further security measures such as moats, trusses and sentry points.

The fort of Galle was handed over to the English by Dutch on 1796, one week after the surrender of Colombo. The entrance to the fort is constructed with cut stones, semicircular stones and with arches depicting the nature of a cavern. It appears that these creations signify the specialty in Dutch architecture and technology.
Dutch architects symbolizes their architectural and construction superiority through the creations of Warehouse, Bastian, Dutch Hospital, Protestant Church & Churchyard, Dutch governors & commanders houses and other buildings. Architectural style which was popular in the 17th century in Holland was Corinthian patterns. In most of the Dutch buildings in Sri Lanka Corinthian pattern associated with Baroque and Rococo patterns structures could be seen.

Galle provides an outstanding example of an urban ensemble, exceptional Sewer System from the 17th century, flushed at high tide, taking the 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 along with 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 Reform Church
• Dutch Warehouse – Old Spice Warehouse
• Enjoy Sea Food restaurants in Fort