Galle Fort

By Jenny Adam, in Galle, Sri Lanka

Galle Fort on Sri Lanka´s southern coast was built by the Portuguese in
the 16th century, fortified by the Dutch during the 17th and taken over
by the British by the end of the 18th century. Nowadays it attracts lots
of tourists, who stroll through the old colonial streets on day trips from nearby beach resorts.

Galle
Fort is a bit similar to Paraty in Brasil, but less
homogenous with its mix of dutch colonial & art déco houses,
srilankan clutter and tourist traps.

It´s multi-ethnic and
multi-religious: within the confines of the ramparts, you can find
mosques, churches and buddhist stupas. This is Meera Jumma Mosque and
Galle Lighthouse on the southern rampart.