Galle Fort and Its Attractions -A Journey of Discovering Galle's Best

Take a trip to Galle Fort and it will be well worth your time. This masterpiece of a fort has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries." Even after an 400+ years, the fort is in excellent condition and a leisurely stroll along its cobbled streets would provide you with many diversions. There's quite a wonderful collection of vintage shops, restaurants and houses here, and almost all of them are built according to the colonial style of architecture. Both the Portuguese and the Dutch had heavy influence in Galle in the past, that even outside the walls of the fort, you can find many buildings built according to this style. These quaint old colonial buildings are so characteristic of the city, that many a Galle hotel in Sri Lanka such as the Tamarind Hill by Asia Leisure, were once the mansions of the colonizers.

Also known as the Groote Kerk, The Dutch Reformed Church built in the year 1755 is one of the oldest protestant churches in the country. However the original structure is said to have been built 100 years before. While the previous Dutch Reformed Church was built next to the Galle Clock Tower, the present-day church is located within the Galle Fort at its highest point at 39 feet above sea level. The Dutch Reformed Chur

The Historical Mansion Museum of Galle is an actual treasure trove as you are bound to see a fine collection of artifacts and curiosities belonging to the colonial era. This vast array of artifacts have been collected through the years by the owner of the museum, Mr. Gaffar. What's more some of the antiquities within the Historical Mansion Museum can actually be bought, so it will be the ideal place to go on a souvenir shopping spree.

Established in the year 1992, the National Maritime Museum of Galle is located down Queen's Street, inside the Galle Fort. It is housed within a bright yellow building that itself is an artifact as it belongs to the colonial era. Just as the name suggests the museum is dedicated to the conservation of artifacts belonging to the maritime history of Sri Lanka as well as its marine biology. Some of these artifacts include watercrafts used in maritime trading and passenger transport in Sri Lanka's south. There are also displays where the traditional life of fishing communities of the countries are showcased with wonderful models and replicas. Another section of the National Maritime Museum focuses on marine ecosystems with specimens of corals, invertebrates and shells are available to be observed along with models of marine flora and fauna of turtles, sea birds, and marine mammals, to name a few.