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Forts in Sri Lanka

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Location of forts within Sri Lanka. Completely destroyed forts are marked by framless. ()

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

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Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
Vijithapura 5th Century BC
Anuradhapura Kingdom
Central Province Fortress City [N 1][1]
Sigiriya 5th Century
by Kashyapa I
495 CE Dambulla, Central Province Ruined Government of Sri Lanka Citadel [N 2]
Mapagala fortress Central Province [N 3]

Transitional period

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Sitawaka forts

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Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
Sitawaka fort Avissawella, Western Province
Hanwella Fort Hanwella, Western Province Destroyed Defence [2]

Portuguese forts

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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 [N 4]
Batticaloa fort 1628 Batticaloa, Eastern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 5]
Arandora fort Narangoda, North Western Province Destroyed - Defence [N 6]
Arippu fort Arippu, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 7]
Delft Island fort Neduntheevu, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 8]
Elephant Pass fort 1776 Elephant Pass, Northern Province Destroyed - Defence [N 9]
Galle fort 1588 - Galle, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 10]
Haldummulla fort 1630 Haldummulla, Uva Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence
Fort Hammenheil 1618 Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 11]
Jaffna fort 1618 Jaffna, Northern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Star fort [N 12]
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 [N 13]
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

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Kandyan forts

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Image Name Founded Abandoned Location Condition Controlled by Type Notes
Balana fort Balana, Central Province Ruined Defence [3]
Hunnasgiriya Fort Hunnasgiriya, Central Province Ruined Defence [4]
Welanhinna Ancient Fort Diyatalawa, Uva Province Destroyed [5]

Dutch forts

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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 [N 14]
Mullaitivu fort 1715 Mullaitivu, Northern Province Ruins Defence [N 15]
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 [N 16]
Fort Pyl Elephant Pass, Northern Province Ruins Government of Sri Lanka Defence
Point Pedro fort Point Pedro, Northern Province Destroyed Defence [N 17]
Tangalle fort Tangalle, Southern Province Good Government of Sri Lanka Defence [N 18]

British forts

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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 [N 19]

Notes

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  1. ^ It was the site of a major battle between the forces of Ellalan and Dutthagamani
  2. ^ Royal Palace. Briefly used as an outpost of the Kingdom of Kandy in the 16th and 17th centuries.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Later controlled by the Dutch and then the British
  5. ^ Captured by the Dutch in 1638
  6. ^ Captured by the Dutch in 1665
  7. ^ Handed over to the Dutch in 1658
  8. ^ Later controlled by the Dutch
  9. ^ Later controlled by the Dutch
  10. ^ Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch from 1640
  11. ^ Rebuilt by the Dutch in 1680
  12. ^ Captured and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1658
  13. ^ Rebuilt by the Dutch after 1640
  14. ^ In 1795 the fort was surrendered to the British
  15. ^ Rebuilt by British during their occupation of the country in 1795
  16. ^ Later surrendered to the British 1795
  17. ^ Later surrendered to the British 1795
  18. ^ The fort is still being used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.
  19. ^ Outpost during the Kandyan Wars

References

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  1. ^ Senaveratna, John M. (1997). 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. pp. 125–128. ISBN 978-81-206-1271-6.
  2. ^ "Hanwella Fort". Amazing Lanka. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  3. ^ "Balana". Amazing Lanka. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  4. ^ "Medamahanuwara Hunnasgiriya Kanda". Amazing Lanka. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
  5. ^ "Welanhinna". Amazing Lanka. Retrieved 2023-12-07.
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