Galle Old City
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. Source: http://whc.unesco.org
It is a major ocean-side city, and located in south-western Sri Lanka. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Galle was occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Although contemporary Galle has grown into a major city and spreads into the hinterland, the Fort is still the slow-beating heart of Galle’s history. The walled city has stood since the early sixteenth century, through the Colonial periods of the Portuguese, Dutch and British and in our present times is proclaimed as an Archaeological Reserve and been identified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Portuguese took Galle from the Sinhala kings in 1587 and erected the first fortifications, a single wall fronted by a moat which extended from the sea to the harbor. The Dutch landed in 1640 with 12 ships and 2,000 men under the command of Wilhelm Jacobsz Coster who defeated the Portuguese after severe fighting and a four-day siege. The Dutch later converted the Portuguese Fortaleza into a single bastion and built a formidable line of defense, ringing the walled town by ten bastions, which endure to this day. Nothing bespeaks the town’s prosperity in British times as the splendid mansions. Source: www.tourslanka.com/galle
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. Source: http://whc.unesco.org
It is a major ocean-side city, and located in south-western Sri Lanka. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Galle was occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. Although contemporary Galle has grown into a major city and spreads into the hinterland, the Fort is still the slow-beating heart of Galle’s history. The walled city has stood since the early sixteenth century, through the Colonial periods of the Portuguese, Dutch and British and in our present times is proclaimed as an Archaeological Reserve and been identified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Portuguese took Galle from the Sinhala kings in 1587 and erected the first fortifications, a single wall fronted by a moat which extended from the sea to the harbor. The Dutch landed in 1640 with 12 ships and 2,000 men under the command of Wilhelm Jacobsz Coster who defeated the Portuguese after severe fighting and a four-day siege. The Dutch later converted the Portuguese Fortaleza into a single bastion and built a formidable line of defense, ringing the walled town by ten bastions, which endure to this day. Nothing bespeaks the town’s prosperity in British times as the splendid mansions. Source: www.tourslanka.com/galle