Galle Fort is the largest intact Dutch fort in Asia. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Located facing the Indian Ocean in the town of Galle, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Galle Fort is one of the best preserved examples of 17th century colonial fortifications in the world. I visited Galle Fort late one evening, after a very long journey from Nuwara Eliya. The light was dying as I explored the fort with a small group of AsiaExplorers members. However the atmosphere was simply irreplaceable as the lights of the town comes on, 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.
World Heritage Site Inscription Details
Location: N6 01 17 E80 13 07
Inscription Year: 1988
Type of Site: Cultural Inscription Criteria: IV
View of the breaking surf of the Indian Ocean at Galle Fort.
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.
The lighthouse at Galle Fort.
The clocktower at Galle Fort.
The historical town of Galle Fort at dusk.
View of the lighthouse and the Indian Ocean.
Surf breaking over the rocks off the coast at Galle Fort.
