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At the historic Galle Fort you join a long list of travellers as long as the Galle Road itself including cricketers who have been coming to historic Galle in Sri Lanka. In 1406 Admiral Cheng Ho arrived to bring presents to the Buddha. Marco Polo followed. Latecomers in this lengthy list of visitors over the centuries are ourselves. For a decade Sri Lanka has been a second home to our British directors, who escape the dark British winter for 4 months of the year to this paradise sun drenched tropical island. The last historic event in Galle was the Tsunami of 26 December 2004 when many perished but the massive stalwart ramparts once again protected those inside the fort walls.
Some historians claim that Galle
with its C17th Dutch fort may be
the old testament Tarshish, the
fabled sea emporium of ancient
times from where King Solomon
obtained his gems, spices and
peacocks. In 1344, the famed
Moorish world traveller from
Tangier, Ibn Batuta, stayed
briefly in Galle and found Arab
sailing ships in its harbour.
Today, Galle Fort is a UNESCO
world heritage site and the
"quiet town dreaming by the sea"
with the ghosts of history
wandering the ramparts
surrounding the Fort's maze of
narrow streets, has again become
a destination for discerning
globe trotters.
The Portuguese were the first
Europeans to arrive en masse in
Galle. The Fort, however, for
good reason, will always be more
closely associated with the
Dutch than the Portuguese. After
a bloody siege in 1640, the
Dutch seized Galle Fort and
began constructing the
magnificent 36 hectare hexagonal
stone fort that survives intact
to this day.
It is in this early Dutch period
that the long history of
Amangalla,
formerly the New Orient Hotel,
Amanresorts' newly restored
luxury property in the heart of
Galle Fort begins. An C18th
Dutch East India Company (VOC)
map shows what later became the
south-east wing of the present
hotel, as the Dutch Commandant's
residence. A separate building
on the same site probably housed
officers from the Dutch
garrison. Both buildings date
from around 1864 when the Dutch
moved their main seat of
government from Galle to Colombo
The main
attractions are Galle Fort; a
world heritage site and former
fortified town and ramparts of
the Dutch East India company.
This is the finest and most
intact fortified city built by
Europeans in South Asia. The
Dutch Groote Church or the Dutch
East India Company (VOC) built
Dutch Reformed Church has been
painstakingly restored. Its
floors are made from C17th Dutch
gravestones and its walls have
Dutch family crests.
The sprawling town of Galle is
best explored on foot or by tuk
tuk. Old British cars, bullock
carts, bicycles, three wheelers
and food carts punctuate the
streets, people socialise and
shop, collect their children
from school and wander the 300
year old ramparts at sunset.
Strolling along the high rampart
walls you will see the Old Dutch
and English churches, the
Governor's house, the massive
VOC warehouses, the Square of
Courts, the elegant pillared
facade of the old Dutch
hospital, the Portuguese Black
Fort, the lighthouse, the Clock
Tower and much more.
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Galle Dutch Church |
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Galle Lighthouse |
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Galle Cricket Stadium |
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Dutch Buildings |
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