Description20160129 Sri Lanka 4229 Galle sRGB (25139038324).jpg
The Dutch Hospital which dates to the 18th century has been restored and now houses shops and restaurants.
Galle (pronounced ‘gawl’ in English) owes its prominence to the arrival of Europeans starting with a Portuguese fleet blown off course in 1505 on its way to the Maldives. The Portuguese built a fort beginning in 1589 that was replaced following the Dutch takeover in 1640. Galle became the main port for Sri Lanka for 200 years. By the time the British gained control in 1796, maritime trade was already starting to shift to Colombo. Sri Lanka became independent in 1948. The solid walls of the Fort coupled with the Dutch predilection for good drainage limited the damage inflicted on Galle’s old quarter by the 2004 tsunami.
The Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
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