Galle, a charming coastal city in Sri Lanka, boasts a rich history and vibrant culture. Its iconic Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stands as a testament to colonial influence. Explore pristine beaches, immerse in cultural festivals, and savor local cuisine amidst the old-world charm of Galle.
Galle can be reached by Colombo-Galle-Matara (A2) main road as well as by southern railway line running from Colombo to Matara via Galle.
Galle's main bus terminus serves well to commuters travelling to the North and further South. However reaching Central Highlands from Galle is still a tiresome process with departures being restricted to just a single service a day in the morning.
Galle harbor is a splendid natural harbor. The harbor has been in use since the pre-Christian era, gained importance in the 12th century, became the main seaport of the island by 14th century and remained so till the construction of artificial harbor in Colombo in the year 1873.
The seaport of Galle, is home to the World Heritage site of 36-hectar VOC Galle Dutch Fort build by the Portuguese in 1589, fortified by the Dutch in 1663 and used by the British. Most of the well preserved colonial buildings of Fort still remain functional: a maze of narrow streets lead to bastions, public buildings, churches and the lighthouse.
The ramparts that provide ideal viewpoints to enjoy the breathtaking ocean sunsets are popular for evening strolls.
In January 2009, The Sri Lanka Ports Authority commenced construction work on a yacht marina in an effort to promote Galle as a tourism seaport. The yacht marina is set to avail repair and recreation facilities for the foreign yachts and pleasure boats.
Well renovated and exquisitely refurbished colonial bungalows, beach villas, newly built boutique hotels and characterful guest houses, some of those are eco-oriented, provide a range of comfortable accommodation options along the Galle coast and inland to enjoy at the fine beaches to the north of Galle and south of Galle: Unawatuna, Thalpe, Koggala, Habaraduwa and Ahangama.
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo.Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.
Galle is a sizeable town, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 91,000, the majority of whom are of Sinhalese ethnicity. There is also a large Sri Lankan Moor minority, particularly in the fort area, which descend from Arab merchants that settled in the ancient port of Galle.
About Southern Province
The Southern Province of Sri Lanka is a small geographic area consisting of the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota. Subsistence farming and fishing is the main source of income for the vast majority of the people of this region.
Important landmarks of the Southern Province include the wildlife sanctuaries of the Yala and Udawalawe National Parks, the holy city of Kataragama, and the ancient cities of Tissamaharama, Kirinda and Galle. (Although Galle is an ancient city, almost nothing survives from before the Portuguese invasion.) During the Portuguese period there were two famous Sinhalese poets called Andare who was from Dickwella and Gajaman Nona who was from Denipitiya in Matara District, composing poems on common man.
