Galle Fort, Galle - Timings, History, Best Time to Visit

At a distance of 1.5 km from Galle Railway Station, Galle Fort is an ancient fort situated in the Old city of Galle, Sri Lanka. Located on the southern coast of the country, it is one of the five historical monuments that one must visit as part of Sri Lanka Packages.

The Galle Fort is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument with more than 400 years of history. UNESCO described it as a World Heritage site for its unique exposition of an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Today, the Galle Fort is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European settlers. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort.

Also known as Dutch Fort, Galle Fort was first built by the Portuguese on the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. The initial fortification known as Santa Cruz built in the late 16th century was an earthen structure with pallisades covering the northern inland side with a rampart and three bastions. Later in the 17th century, the Dutch took control over the city and they built the impregnable fortification encircling the entire peninsula. The fort was taken over by the British in the year 1796 and remained under British rule until Sri Lanka's independence in the year 1948. Further, the importance of Galle as a city also reduced after the British declared Colombo as the capital.

The two towering gates to the fort are termed 'Portcullised gates' and the first gate of entry from the port is inscribed 'ANNO MDCL XIX' which has a depiction of Dutch Coat of Arms with the ubiquitous emblem of cock and an inset 'VOC' inscribed in the center. The Main Gate is along the northern stretch of the fort on the land side and is heavily fortified. The fort has some 14 bastions with coral and granite stones over an area of 130 acres. Some of the bastions here are the Aurora Bastion, the Tremon Bastion, the Kleipenberg Bastion, and the Emaloon Bastion.

The Fort really resembles a small laid out walled town, with a rectangular grid pattern of streets full of the low houses with gables and verandas in the Dutch colonial style. The fort area also has a number of historic churches, mosques, museums, commercial and government buildings. One can take an exciting walk through this heritage site and observe the many sites such as the Old Gate with the British Coat-of-Arms inscribed on it, the Old Dutch Hospital, the ramparts that run around the fortress, the clock tower built in 1882, the light house built in 1939, the Dutch colonial-style houses with gables and verandahs, the Dutch Reformed Church built in 1640, the New Oriental Hotel built-in 1694, the National Maritime Museum and many bastions - each made for a specific purpose. Visitors can also visit Galle Vegetable and Fish Market situated in the city center.

Timings: 24 Hours

Entry: Free