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| Sea side wall of the Galle Fort |
The fort has a colourful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world.
The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv, 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."
The Galle Fort, also known as the Dutch Fort or the "Ramparts of Galle", withstood the Boxing Day tsunami which damaged part of coastal area Galle town. It has been since restored.
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| A canon mount on one of the ramparts of the Galle Fort |
The fort, originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century to defend Galle, was an earthen structure with pallisades covering the northern inland side with a rampart and three bastions. They believed that the seaward side was impregnable and hence did not construct any fortifications on the seaside. The sea wall was an addition made in 1729 to make the city planning for defence purposes complete in all respects.
When the fort came under the control of the Dutch, they considered the old fortifications built by the Portuguese unsafe as they were made of earth and palisades. Hence, the Dutch decided to fully encircle the entire peninsula by building impregnable fortifications as a defence against other colonial agencies in the region. They built some 14 bastions with coral and granite stones over an area of (52 hectares (130 acres)). Many of the fortification walls were built in 1663. The city built within the fort was well-planned with a grid layout and the peripheral roads aligned parallel to fort's ramparts.
The fort has two gates. 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 centre.
After the fort came under the control of the British in 1796, it remained their southern headquarters. They made many modifications to the fort such as the closing of the moat, building of houses, a lighthouse on the Utrecht Bastion, a gate between the Moon Bastion and the Sun Bastion. A tower was particularly erected in 1883 to commemorate the jubilee of Queen Victoria. The Second World War saw many more fortifications built to defend the fort. In spite of all the changes made over the years, since it was first built between the 16th and the 19th century, the Galle Fort still remains a unique monument complex said to be "the best example of a fortified city with a fusion of European architecture and South Asian traditions built by Europeans in South and Southeast Asia".
In the fort area, many buildings are of Dutch vintage with street names also in Dutch. The sewerage system built in the fort area ensured that the city sewerage was flushed into the sea during the tidal cycle. The Dutch exploited the musk rats in the sewers by exporting them to extract musk oil.
When the fort came under the control of the Dutch, they considered the old fortifications built by the Portuguese unsafe as they were made of earth and palisades. Hence, the Dutch decided to fully encircle the entire peninsula by building impregnable fortifications as a defence against other colonial agencies in the region. They built some 14 bastions with coral and granite stones over an area of (52 hectares (130 acres)). Many of the fortification walls were built in 1663. The city built within the fort was well-planned with a grid layout and the peripheral roads aligned parallel to fort's ramparts.
The fort has two gates. 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 centre.
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| View across grass-clad walls |
The Main Gate is along the northern stretch of the fort on the land side and is heavily fortified. The Portuguese had built a moat here which was widened during the Dutch rule by breaking the fort wall in 1667 and building the Star, Moon and Sun bastions. Its construction is also dated to the British period from 1897 to facilitate easy flow of traffic to the old town. This gate was fortified with a draw bridge surrounded by a moat; inscriptions here indicate 1669 as the year of construction. Some of the other named bastions are:- The Aurora Bastion, the Tremon Bastion, the Kleipenberg Bastion and the Emaloon Bastion, adding an element of grandeur to the fort as a whole.
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. It has a well laid out road network. The fort area also has a number of historic churches, mosques, commercial and government buildings. Some of the locals stroll along the walls of the fort in the evenings.Walking along the fort wall in a clockwise direction leads to the Old Gate where the British Coat of Arms is seen inscribed at the entrance at the top. In the inner part of the gate there is the 1668 dated inscription of the letters VOC, an abbreviation of Verenigde Oostindindische Compagnie, meaning Dutch East India Company with the insignia of a cock flanked by two lions.
Further along, the fort wall is the Portuguese-built oldest bastion, known as Zwart Bastion, meaning Black Bastion. The eastern section of the fort terminates in the Point Utrecht Bastion; the powder house is also seen here. The 18 metres (59 ft) high Galle Lighthouse was erected here in 1938. The next stretch of the fort wall is the location of Flag Rock Bastion, which was used as a signalling station to warn ships entering the port of the hazardous rocky stretches of the bay. Ships were warned by firing musket shots from the Pigeon Island near the Flag Rock.
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| View across grass-clad walls to the sea |
Further along, the fort walls is the Trion Bastion where a windmill drew water from the sea to sprinkle the dusty roads of the town; it is also a viewpoint to watch sunsets. Many more bastions are seen along the fortifications from this location up to the Main Gate.
After the fort came under the control of the British in 1796, it remained their southern headquarters. They made many modifications to the fort such as the closing of the moat, building of houses, a lighthouse on the Utrecht Bastion, a gate between the Moon Bastion and the Sun Bastion. A tower was particularly erected in 1883 to commemorate the jubilee of Queen Victoria. The Second World War saw many more fortifications built to defend the fort. In spite of all the changes made over the years, since it was first built between the 16th and the 19th century, the Galle Fort still remains a unique monument complex said to be "the best example of a fortified city with a fusion of European architecture and South Asian traditions built by Europeans in South and Southeast Asia".
In the fort area, many buildings are of Dutch vintage with street names also in Dutch. The sewerage system built in the fort area ensured that the city sewerage was flushed into the sea during the tidal cycle. The Dutch exploited the musk rats in the sewers by exporting them to extract musk oil.
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| Dutch Reformed Church in Galle Fort |
Some of the important heritage monuments in the fort are the Dutch Reformed Church, with its historic belfry dated 1707 and cast in 1709, which rang every hour; the old Dutch government house; the residence of the Commander; Great Warehouse near the Old Gate, built around 1669 to store spices and ship equipment (which now houses the National Maritime Museum); the Old Dutch Hospital; the Meera Mosque built in 1904; the Buddhist temple built at the site of Portuguese Roman Catholic church; the All Saints Anglican Church built in 1871; the 1882 Clock Tower and the 1939 Galle Lighthouse
The Groote Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) was built in 1640. However, it was remodelled between 1752 and 1755. The church is paved with grave stones from the old Dutch cemetery. There is an old organ of 1760 vintage in the church where services are held and a pulpit made of calamander wood from Malaysia is used.
The former New Orient Hotel was originally built in 1694 for the exclusive use of the Dutch Governor and his staff, it was converted into a hotel in 1865, the New Orient Hotel, which catered to the European passengers travelling between Europe and Galle Port in the 19th century and in 2005 was modernised into a franchise of the Aman Resorts, named the Amangalla.
The Groote Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) was built in 1640. However, it was remodelled between 1752 and 1755. The church is paved with grave stones from the old Dutch cemetery. There is an old organ of 1760 vintage in the church where services are held and a pulpit made of calamander wood from Malaysia is used.
The former New Orient Hotel was originally built in 1694 for the exclusive use of the Dutch Governor and his staff, it was converted into a hotel in 1865, the New Orient Hotel, which catered to the European passengers travelling between Europe and Galle Port in the 19th century and in 2005 was modernised into a franchise of the Aman Resorts, named the Amangalla.
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| Dutch Reformed Church in Galle Fort |
Most of the street names are a legacy from the colonial period, including Pedlar Street or ‘Moorse Kramerstraat’, the Moorish pedlar (or peddler) street, named after the Muslim moors who were retailers along with chettis; Lighthouse Street or ‘Zeeburgstraat’ or ‘Middelpuntstraat’ named after the lighthouse which was destroyed in a fire in 1936; Hospital Street, the location of the Dutch Hospital, the house of the Surgeon and the Medical Garden; Leyn Baan Street or ‘Leyenbahnstraat’, the Old Rope-Walk Street, where coir rope was made; Church Street, named after a church which was demolished in the 17th century and also the location of the Dutch Reformed Church and All Saints Church; Parawa Street, named after the Parawa migrants from South India who were fishermen and traders; and Chando Street named after the toddy tappers and Dutch Burghers who owned coconut gardens and small ark distilleries.
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| Dutch Reformed Church in Galle Fort |
The breadfruit (Artucarpus incisisus) tree was introduced in Galle first by the Dutch; reputedly the oldest breadfruit tree in Sri Lanka can be found at Akersloot Bastion in Galle Fort. It is believed that the Dutch introduced breadfruit which is of ‘heaty’ nature hoping that would either kill them or make them sick. However, the Sri Lankans found a neutralizer to this in the coconut tree. They mixed breadfruit with coconut and evolved a delicacy, which became popular, as it was found tasty and nourishing. This tree is now grown across Sri Lanka.
The fort area is occupied by mostly artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets of foreign origin and is now a mixed bag of boutiques, hotels and restaurants.
Links
- Media related to Galle Fort at Wikimedia Commons
- Things to do in Galle Fort - TripAdvisor
The fort area is occupied by mostly artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets of foreign origin and is now a mixed bag of boutiques, hotels and restaurants.
Links
- Media related to Galle Fort at Wikimedia Commons
- Things to do in Galle Fort - TripAdvisor
- Galle Fort Sri Lanka
*thanks to Creative Commons for information in this article https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
*thanks to Creative Commons for information in this article https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
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