Galle

Galle

The historic city of Galle is situated in the southwest corner of Sri Lanka and is a living metropolis that has it all; colonial European infrastructure, beaches, rivers with wildlife and religious temples and churches. It was a city popular around the world even before the colonization by the Portuguese as its natural harbor was used even by King Solomon to harvest island valuables such as ivory, peacocks and cinnamon.

A vacation is optimized when you can get a good night’s rest at a comfortable and safe venue. There are many hotels in Galle Sri Lanka to give you this experience. Most of these hotels including luxury hotels in Galle are situated close to the major historical sites within the city. Thus, you don’t have to worry too much with transport. Public transport like tuk-tuk service can be used for a breezy exploration of the city. Hotels in Galle Sri Lanka are recognized internationally and undergo annual inspection by the national tourism industry to make sure they maintain their quality of service. So you can be rest assured to have the best experience.

There are many sites to visit at Galle Sri Lanka. There is the Dutch Reformed church which was built as a token of appreciation by the wife of Commander Gasparus de Jong for the long-prayed birth of her son. In there, an orthodox pulpit which is made of finely grained calamander wood with panels of satin wood is present found in no other church in the country. There are also tombstones bearing Dutch names. The Old Dutch warehouse which is now home to the town’s National Maritime Museum, National Culture Museum near the Main Gate entrance and all saints Anglican Church in Church Street are also sites to visit. There is also the Galle Dutch Hospital which has been transformed into a shopping and dining complex. The Old Dutch gate is adorned on the outer wall by the British coat of arms and with the crest of the Dutch East India Company on the inner side.

Galle fort has existed for over 400 years and is the best preserved colonial sea fortress in the whole of Asia and is therefore considered a UNESCO world Heritage. It is a walled city built by European invaders to open up their conquest to the island. It was used by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British and their cultural, archeological and technological influence is visible even to date. At the entrance there is a coat of arms flanked by a lion and a stallion that reads Dieu Et Mon Droit, translating ‘God and my right shall me defend’. Entry in to the fort is free and is a fascinating place to walk around admiring its houses, courtyards, and verandas. It also has a very developed underground sewer system that was designed to self-clean with the tides of the ocean and protect the fort during floods, which has kept the fort safe from the devastating natural disaster the country faced in 2004 called tsunami. The lighthouse, a white stone structure standing tall at 92 feet in height was originally built in wood, and was the first lighthouse of the country but was destroyed by a fire and was rebuilt by the British in 1939 to the current building.

There are many antique styled and boutique shops and cafes to rest after seeing the sights like the old belfry tower built in 1701 and the post office building built in the 18th century. One must not leave this historic place without getting a souvenir which could be an authentic handmade lace either Brussels or Honiton type, jewellery, moonstones or precious gems. For a history enthusiast this would be an ideal place to visit.

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