A large Dutch-era seafront fort enclosing part of the old town on a promontory between the Nilwala River and the sea.

Overview

The Matara Fort is a broad rampart-enclosed quarter on the promontory where the Nilwala River meets the Indian Ocean, guarding the old heart of the town. Unlike the tiny Star Fort, this larger fortification wrapped the seaward side of Matara, and its long stone ramparts still enclose colonial streets, churches, a clock tower and government buildings. It is a pleasant area to wander on foot, with sea views from the walls and easy access to the Parey Dewa island temple just offshore.

History

The site was first fortified by the Portuguese in the 16th century and substantially rebuilt by the Dutch from around 1640 as a base for the lucrative cinnamon trade. Its ramparts proved vulnerable to attack from inland during the 1761 rebellion, prompting the Dutch to add the separate Star Fort in 1765. The fort passed to the British in 1796 and remains the administrative core of the modern city.