A UNESCO World Heritage fortified old town of Dutch ramparts, churches and cobbled lanes jutting into the Indian Ocean.

Overview

Galle Fort is the finest surviving example of a European-built fortified city in South and South-East Asia. Massive stone-and-coral ramparts enclose a grid of shady lanes lined with Dutch-colonial houses, churches, museums, boutiques and cafes. Visitors can walk the full circuit of the walls, watch cliff divers at Flag Rock and end the day at the lighthouse as the sun sets over the sea.

History

The Portuguese first fortified the promontory in 1588, but the fort as it stands today was largely built by the Dutch from 1649, who added the great sea walls, bastions and a grid of streets. It passed to the British in 1796 and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 for its outstanding blend of European architecture and South Asian traditions.