iSurprise Tharanga

Project Officer & Archaeologist

I am deeply interested in the Fort because it has so much significance as a living colonial heritage site. We are trying to restore the original streetscape and preserve the buildings. We have to protect it for the next generation.
— Tharanga Liyana Arachchi

A unique location


Galle harbour has been a very strategic and valuable location for centuries. This is what makes it so special. We are in the mouth of the world. It was part of the land silk route, the sea silk route, the slave and spice routes. Even today so many ships pass by. I particularly enjoyed working on the restoration of the Dutch spice warehouses. Originally the Portuguese had storage buildings on the same site where they kept wild cinnamon, areca nut and pepper. In the Dutch period, spices as well as elephants were stored there before they were shipped to Batavia in Indonesia.

A recent discovery

An exciting new find is a tunnel, between Sun and Moon Bastion, which was the Portuguese entrance to the Fort. Originally there would have been a wooden sliding gate and an observation post. Those would have been nice characteristics.

Lookout point

My favourite spot in the Fort is Flag Rock bastion because of its strategic location. The base was constructed by the Portuguese and then built on by the Dutch. It was a lookout point, a flag holder for the Dutch and where the British built the first lighthouse. This peninsula was also important to Sri Lankan rulers. In the 12th century, a Sri Lankan queen called Sugala had a military base here and in the 16th century, King Rajasinha I had warehouses in the area. The Fort has a rich history!

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