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Forts in Sri Lanka date back thousands of years, with many being built by Sri Lankan kings. These include several walled cities. These include several walled cities. With the outset of colonial rule in the Indian Ocean , Sri Lanka was occupied by several major colonial empires that from time to time became the dominant power in the Indian Ocean.
It is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than 437 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work done by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. [1] The fort has a colourful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population.
The fort is said to be the last major defence post built by the Dutch but never had the chance to prove its effectiveness. In 1796 the fort was handed over to the British with the surrender of the Sri Lankan territory by the Dutch. The British used it as an administrative office and quarters by the District Engineer of the Public Works Department.
1735 Map of Fort Matara. The Portuguese constructed the first fortifications in 1595, [1] with the assistance of Don Juan Dharmapala, the ruler of the Kingdom of Kotte. [2] In 1640 the Dutch captured Matara from the Portuguese, [3] and in 1645 they were responsible for the construction of the current fortifications. [2]
The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1486. 23 February 2007. "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1716. 22 July 2011. "PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications" (PDF).
The fort has a structure of four bastions and is protected by the Batticaloa Lagoon on two sides and a canal on the other two sides. The fort is still in reasonable condition and currently houses several local administrative departments of the Sri Lanka government in new buildings, which are located within the old structure.
1665 Map of Negombo fort. In its time the fort at Negombo was probably the next in strategic importance after Colombo, Jaffna and Galle. [1] The original Portuguese fort was a weak structure, which, according to the account of João Ribeyro; "Negombo was only a square enclosed by walls, with two redoubts and five guns.
The seaside structure of the fort was just a wall with no bastions or cannons. [4] Further details of the fort have been identified from Dutch era maps. According to the maps, one side wall was 80 m (260 ft) long and the other two walls were 42 m (138 ft) in length.