Galle and Galle Fort
Overview
The Portuguese were the first colonisers to arrive on the island, who reportedly arrived by accident, in the year 1505. It was claimed that a Portuguese fleet was blown off course due to stormy weather conditions and they ended up in a village near Galle. In the ensuing years, they built a fort in Galle and took control of the coastal areas around the island.
It reminds Niranjala and Prakash, founders of Peacock Tours, of their school textbooks on the island’s history describing the arrival of the Portuguese and the local king sending his men to investigate the fleet. Disturbed, the men hurried back and reported to the king these are strange-looking men, their skin is red in colour and their hair is not black, they are drinking blood and eating big stones, they are making big noises like thunder”.
Later, it transpired that the king’s men were describing sunburnt white men drinking red wine, eating bread rolls, and firing cannons!
The Portuguese were there for just over 150 years until the Dutch arrived in the year 1658 and pushed them out of the island completely. Other than the Hill Country, the Dutch then ruled the island for nearly 140 years, until the British East India Company arrived in the year 1796. The British merged the Singhala, Tamil, and Kandyan Hill Kingdoms and ruled the island of Ceylon as one for over 150 years, until 1948 when the island achieved its independence.
The Dutch made Galle their capital soon after they arrived, and they extensively fortified the Portuguese fort as it is found today, except for the lighthouse which was built by the British in 1848. The fort is a vast monument and is a UNESCO Heritage Site.
Take a walk inside the fort and it will take your breath away, where there are old churches, museums, shops, boutique hotels, and restaurants. Walk along the high walls (ramparts) of the fort for magnificent views including the imposing lighthouse.
The inland region of Galle has scenic lakes, paddy fields, and low hill tea plantations and there are attractive accommodation options for those who love a bit of peace and quiet, with easy access to the beach too.
