Ratnapura Portuguese fort explained

Ratnapura Portuguese fort
Location:Ratnapura, Sri Lanka
Map Type:Sri Lanka
Map Size:300
Type:Defence fort
Built:1618–1620
Builder:Portuguese
Condition:Destroyed[1]

Ratnapura Portuguese fort (Sinhala; Sinhalese: රත්නපුර පෘතුගීසි බලකොටුව Rathnapura Pruthugisi Balakotuwa; Tamil: இரத்தினபுரி போர்த்துக்கேயக் கோட்டை|translit=Irattiṉapuri Pōrttukkēyak Kōṭṭai) was built by the Portuguese[2] in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.

The Portuguese constructed the fort and a church, between 1618 and 1620, on the ground of Saman Devalaya (an ancient devale or Hindu shrine) following the defeat of the King of Sitawaka, Rajasinha I. The town and the fort was later captured by Kirti Sri Raja Singha (the second Nayaka king of Kandy,[3] who destroyed the church and the fort and constructed a Buddhist temple, Maha Saman Devalaya, on the site. In the temple grounds there is a stone sculpture, which depicts the Portuguese General Simao Pinnao, on horseback brandishing a sword, whilst trampling a Sinhalese soldier.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Colonial Forts – relics of old time warfare . . 6 September 2013 . 17 November 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923224304/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/64-34505-news-detail-colonial-forts-relics-of-old-time-warfare.html . 23 September 2015 .
  2. Web site: Ratnapura . Encyclopædia Britannica . 17 November 2014.
  3. Web site: Ratnapura Portuguese Fort . AmazingLanka.com . 17 November 2014.
  4. Web site: Maha Saman Devala, Kuruvita Korale, Devalegama . Living Heritage Trust . 24 November 2014.