The impressive ramparts of the famous Galle Fort are a stark reminder of the determination to defend and protect this southern sea-entry into Sri Lanka. Waves hit the high walls of the Fort and are a reminder of the ongoing battle between mother nature and man.
The Fort was first built by the Portuguese invaders but was soon taken over by the Dutch, who remodeled and rebuilt much of it. Around Sri Lanka, there are several imposing forts built by the same forces, but Galle Fort is in the best of the condition, and actually is known as a living fort, due to the population living within its walls.
In 1802 the Treaty of Amiens formally ceded the Dutch part of Sri Lanka to the British and it became a crown colony. Over the next decades, they strengthened the defense posts already posted around the shores of the island. Galle Fort is a stunning example of defensive architecture at it’s best.