Forts in Sri Lanka date back thousands of years, with many being built by Sri Lankan kings. 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. The colonists built several western-style forts, mostly in and around the coast of the island. The first to build colonial forts in Sri Lanka were the Portuguese; these forts were captured and later expanded by the Dutch. The British occupied these Dutch forts during the Napoleonic Wars.

Most of the colonial forts were garrisoned up until the early 20th century. The coastal forts had coastal artillery manned by the Ceylon Garrison Artillery during the two world wars. Most of these were abandoned by the military but retained civil administrative officers, while others retained military garrisons, which were more administrative than operational. Some were reoccupied by military units with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War; Jaffna fort, for example, came under siege several times.

Anuradhapura period Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Vijithapura 5th Century BCAnuradhapura Kingdom Central Province Fortress City It was the site of a major battle between the forces of Ellalan and Dutthagamani Sigiriya 5th Centuryby Kashyapa I 495 CE Dambulla, Central Province Ruined Government of Sri Lanka Citadel Royal Palace. Briefly used as an outpost of the Kingdom of Kandy in the 16th and 17th centuries. Mapagala fortress Central Province Located to the south of Sigiriya is the Mapagala Fortress (‘Rock of the Viceroy’), a fortress with massive stone walls, which was built prior to Sigiriya.

Transitional period Sitawaka forts Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Sitawaka fort Avissawella, Western Province Hanwella Fort Hanwella, Western Province Destroyed Defence

Portuguese forts Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Colombo fort 1518, 1554 1524, 1870 Colombo fort, Western Province Destroyed - Defence Fort Fredrick 1624 - Trincomalee, Eastern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Later controlled by the Dutch and then the British Batticaloa fort 1628 Batticaloa, Eastern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Captured by the Dutch in 1638 Arandora fort Narangoda, North Western Province Destroyed - Defence Captured by the Dutch in 1665 Arippu fort Arippu, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Handed over to the Dutch in 1658 Delft Island fort Neduntheevu, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Later controlled by the Dutch Elephant Pass fort 1776 Elephant Pass, Northern Province Destroyed - Defence Later controlled by the Dutch Galle fort 1588 - Galle, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch from 1640 Haldummulla fort 1630 Haldummulla, Uva Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Fort Hammenheil 1618 Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Rebuilt by the Dutch in 1680 Jaffna fort 1618 Jaffna, Northern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Star fort Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1658 Kalutara fort 1655 Kalutara, Western Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Kayts Island fort 1629 Kayts, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Kotugodella fort 1630 Ettampitiya, Uva Province Ruins Defence Mannar fort 1560 Mannar, Northern Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence Matara fort 1550 Matara, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Rebuilt by the Dutch after 1640 Menikkadawara fort 1599 Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence Negombo fort 1672 Negombo, Western Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Pooneryn fort 16?? Pooneryn, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Ratnapura fort 1618, 1620 Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence Ruwanwella fort 1590s Ruwanwella, Sabaragamuwa Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence Hanwella fort 1597 Hanwella, Western Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence

Kandyan period Kandyan forts Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Balana fort Balana, Central Province Ruined Defence Hunnasgiriya Fort Hunnasgiriya, Central Province Ruined Defence Welanhinna Ancient Fort Diyatalawa, Uva Province Destroyed

Dutch forts Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Fort Hammenheil 1618 - Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Koddiyar fort 1622 Muttur, Eastern Province Destroyed Defence Katuwana Fort 1646 - Katuwana, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence Kalpitiya fort 1667–76 - Kalpitiya, North Western Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence In 1795 the fort was surrendered to the British Mullaitivu fort 1715 Mullaitivu, Northern Province Ruins Defence Rebuilt by British during their occupation of the country in 1795 Star fort 1763–65 - Matara, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Star fort Fort Beschutter Elephant Pass, Northern Province Destroyed Government of Sri Lanka Defence Fort Ostenburg Trincomalee, Eastern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Later surrendered to the British 1795 Fort Pyl Elephant Pass, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence Point Pedro fort Point Pedro, Northern Province Destroyed Defence Later surrendered to the British 1795 Tangalle fort Tangalle, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence The fort is still being used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.

British forts Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes Martello tower 1801-03 Hambantota, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence tower Fort MacDowall 1803 Matale Central Province Outpost during the Kandyan Wars

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References

External links

Dutch and Portuguese buildings in Sri Lanka, written by Marco Ramerini Colonial Forts in Sri Lanka The remnants of Dutch culture in Sri Lanka Forten en stellingen in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) tijdens de Nederlandse periode