Galle Fort, Sri Lanka

Galle Fort (2 September, 2005)


Galle Fort is the largest intact Dutch fort in Asia. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1988.

Galle Fort is one of the best preserved examples of 17th century colonial fortifications in the world. It sits on a promontory that juts southwards into the Indian Ocean from the town of Galle, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Ramparts encircle a self-contained neighbourhood within the fort.

I visited Galle Fort late one evening, after a very long journey from Nuwara Eliya. The light was dying when we arrived at the fort. However the atmosphere was simply irreplaceable as night arrives, and the fort was bathed in shadows. The only sound that accompanied us was the whistling of the wind and the thunder of surf as it broke over the rocks. I stood on the bastions and watched the moon rise over the Indian Ocean.

Clock tower at Galle Fort (2 September, 2005)

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N6 01 17 E80 13 07
Inscription Year: 1988
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: IV Galle Fort was started by the Portuguese in 1588, but it was under the Dutch, whose army captured Galle from the Portuguese in 1640, that Galle Fort owes its present shape. The Dutch continued to work on this fort right up to the beginning of the 18th century. The fort was so strong that it withstood the 2004 tsunami which left Galle town utterly devastated.

Ramparts of Galle Fort (2 September, 2005)

Location of Galle Fort on map

Getting there

You can reach the city of Galle by taking either a train or a bus from Colombo. Either way, you are rewarded with lovely coastal views. The railway line was destroyed by the tsunami when I visited, but has since been repaired. Bus journey from Colombo takes about three hours.

Galle Fort Lighthouse (2 September, 2005)


The Fort neighbourhood of Galle (2 September, 2005)


The Indian Ocean at Galle (2 September, 2005)

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