The Fort in Galle, Sri Lanka’s southern capital is a historic icon and is the best preserved sea fort in South Asia and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Galle offers many attractions to visitors thronging the city, especially from October to April. Luxury Villas, Sri Lanka is a greatly sought after type of accommodation and for those exploring Galle, the chic Pebbles Beach Villa with its abundance of privacy would be a suitable choice of accommodation.
The Galle Fort was originally built by the Portuguese who landed in Galle in 1505 and subsequently conquered the maritime areas. The Dutch greatly improved and developed the Galle Fort in the 1600’s and it was at its zenith during the Dutch era. They improved the defense structure of the Fort by widening the landside moat and improving the ramparts and bastions. Today, the ramparts are a pleasant place to walk or sit and sea gaze especially at sun up and sun down .There are two main gates to the Fort and the inner gate bears the VOC logo of the Dutch East India Company while the outer gate bears the logo of the British Monarch “Dieu et mon droit”.
The streets are narrow and Dutch names have now been changed. The houses display the Dutch influence with their deep verandahs supported by pillars. The past glory of the Galle Fort is seen in the Light House, Clock Tower, the First Dutch Reformed and Anglican Churches. Especially of note is the Dutch Reformed Church with its Baroque façade and double scroll mouldings which show the indigenous influence. The beautifully restored Dutch Museum showcases Dutch Culture.
The British captured Galle from the Dutch and used as a seat of administration. Later, they built the Colombo Port and made Colombo the administrative capital and Galle lost its glory. Now, the restored Galle Fort is a star attraction and has a very up market shopping arcade.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+
