Galle Fort

History of Galle Fort 

Galle has been a busy trading port for thousands of years dating back to when the world powers first began to sail the seas. The fort was initially built by the Portuguese in the mid-16th century not long after they landed on the Galle Sri Lanka beaches. Amazingly, the first Galle Fort was built with just mud and palm trees. They called it the Santa Cruz, and later extended it with a watch tower and three bastions, and a "fortalice" to guard the harbor.

 

In 1640 it was taken over by the Dutch with the help of the local Sinhalese King. The Dutch went on to greatly reinforce Galle Fort and added many pieces you still see today. The British were the next to capture the port town during their colonization of Sri Lanka in 1796.

It wasn’t until many years later that Galle was finally turned over to Sri Lanka following their independence in 1948. Galle Fort is now not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site but also the largest European-built fort still standing in Asia.

Galle's earliest historical existence is traced to Ptolemy’s world map of 125–150 CE when Ibn Batuta had touched base at this port. This was the beginning of the fort’s history, Galle was known as Gimhathitha in ancient times. it was a busy port, trading with Greece, Arab countries, China and others, Before the Portuguese arrived here it was built by the Portuguese in 1619. Then Dutch captured fort in 1640. The British took over the fort on 23^rd of February 1796, a week after Colombo was captured. Fort is the administrative city of the southern province. The ruins and the remains of the buildings of the colonial period can still be seen in fort. The Marine museum in the fort is worth a visit. Visitors can see a number of artifacts recovered in underwater exploration in the Museum.

Galle is home to the Galle International Stadium, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world. Galle cricket stadium is fringed on two sides by the Indian Ocean... Folklore said it was made by the British to play cricket in leisurely after duty. The ground was built in 1876 as a race course. 

 

 

Galle Fort has two, formerly portcullis, gates. The oldest of the two was completed by the Dutch in 1669. At the time it was protected by a drawbridge and a ditch. It can be found on the southern end of the Baladaksha Mawatha (street). Above the entrance there was an emblem of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC, the Dutch East India Company): A relief with a rooster on a rock above a shield with the letters 'VOC', flanked by two lions. Further along the eastern 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 meters (59 ft) high Galle light house. was erected here in 1938. 

More bastions are seen along the fortifications from the Triton Bastion up to the Main Gate. In total 14 bastions can be found: Sun Bastion, Moon Bastion, Star Bastion, Zwart Bastion, Akersloot Bastion, Aurora Bastion, Point Utrecht Bastion, Triton Bastion, Neptune Bastion, Clippenburg Bastion, Flag rock Bastion, Aeolus Bastion, Fish mark Bastion and Commandment Bastion.^[

Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles and native traditions. The city was extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.  a walled enclave surrounded on three sides by the ocean. A key part of the Fort’s appeal is that it isn’t just a pretty place. Sure, tourism now dominates the local economy, but this unique city remains a working community: there are administrative offices and courts, export companies, schools and colleges.

The Bread fruit (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.