A vast star-shaped Dutch fort beside the lagoon, the second-largest fortress in Sri Lanka and a focus of the city's history.

Overview

Jaffna Fort is a sprawling coral-and-limestone fortress on the edge of the lagoon, laid out in a classic star shape with broad ramparts, moats and bastions. Once badly damaged by the civil war, it has been partly restored, and its walls now offer breezy walks with wide views over the water and the town. Inside are the remnants of colonial buildings, the ruined Groote Kerk church and ongoing conservation works. It is an atmospheric, uncrowded place to absorb Jaffna's layered past.

History

The fort was first built by the Portuguese in 1618 and then captured and hugely expanded by the Dutch from 1658 into the massive star fort seen today, making it the second-largest fort in Sri Lanka after Galle. The British took it in 1796 and used it into the 20th century. It saw heavy fighting and destruction during the civil war and has since undergone extensive restoration.