Forts in Sri Lanka explained

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
Fortress City [1] [2]
495 CE Ruined [3]
[4]

Transitional period

Portuguese forts

Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
1518, 1554 1524, 1870 Destroyed - Defence
1624 - Good Defence [6]
1628 Good Defence [7]
Destroyed - Defence [8]
Ruins Defence [9]
Ruins Defence [10]
1776 Destroyed - Defence [11]
1588 - Good Defence [12]
1630 Ruins Defence
1618 Good Defence [13]
1618 Good [14]
1655 Ruins Defence
1629 Ruins Defence
1630 Ruins Defence
1560 Destroyed Defence
1550 Good Defence [15]
1599 Destroyed Defence
1672 Ruins Defence
16?? Ruins Defence
1618, 1620Destroyed Defence
1590s Destroyed Defence
1597 Destroyed Defence

Kandyan period

Kandyan forts

Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
Ruined Defence [16]
Hunnasgiriya Fort Ruined Defence [17]
Welanhinna Ancient Fort Destroyed [18]

Dutch forts

Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
1618 - Good Defence
1622 Destroyed Defence
1646 - Good Defence
1667–76 - Good Defence [19]
1715 Ruins Defence [20]
1763–65 - Good Star fort
Destroyed Defence
Ruins Defence [21]
Ruins Defence
Destroyed Defence [22]
Good Defence [23]

British forts

Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
1801-03 Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence tower
1803 [24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. It was the site of a major battle between the forces of Ellalan and Dutthagamani
  2. Book: Senaveratna, John M. . The story of the Sinhalese from the most ancient times up to the end of "the Mahavansa" or Great dynasty: Vijaya to Maha Sena, B.C. 543 to A.D.302. Asian Educational Services. 1997. 125–128. 978-81-206-1271-6.
  3. Royal Palace. Briefly used as an outpost of the Kingdom of Kandy in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  4. 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.
  5. Web site: Hanwella Fort. Amazing Lanka. 2023-12-07.
  6. Later controlled by the Dutch and then the British
  7. Captured by the Dutch in 1638
  8. Captured by the Dutch in 1665
  9. Handed over to the Dutch in 1658
  10. Later controlled by the Dutch
  11. Later controlled by the Dutch
  12. Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch from 1640
  13. Rebuilt by the Dutch in 1680
  14. Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1658
  15. Rebuilt by the Dutch after 1640
  16. Web site: Balana. Amazing Lanka. 2023-12-07.
  17. Web site: Medamahanuwara Hunnasgiriya Kanda. Amazing Lanka. 2023-12-07.
  18. Web site: Welanhinna. Amazing Lanka. 2023-12-07.
  19. In 1795 the fort was surrendered to the British
  20. Rebuilt by British during their occupation of the country in 1795
  21. Later surrendered to the British 1795
  22. Later surrendered to the British 1795
  23. The fort is still being used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.
  24. Outpost during the Kandyan Wars