Tangalle Fort (Sinhala: තංගල්ල බලකොටුව, romanized: Tangalla Balakotuwa; Tamil: தங்காலைக் கோட்டை, romanized: Taṅkālaik Kōṭṭai) is a small Dutch fort located in the coastal town of Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The Dutch used Tangalle as an important anchorage on the southern coast of the island.
| Tangalle Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Hambantota District | |
| Tangalle, Sri Lanka | |
  Tangalle Fort | |
| Coordinates | 6°1′21″N 80°47′53″E / 6.02250°N 80.79806°E |
| Type | Defence fort |
| Height | 12 m (39 ft) |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | Government of Sri Lanka |
| Open to the public | no |
| Condition | good |
| Site history | |
| Built by | Dutch |
| Materials | limestone and coral |
Tangalle fort differs from most other forts constructed by the Dutch, in that the fort has no massive ramparts. The four main walls, which are 12 m (39 ft) high, enclose a space similar to a rhombus, in height, in opposite corners of the structure. The fort was significantly altered by the British in the middle of the 19th century when it was converted into a prison. The British also used Tangalle as an anchorage. The fort is still being used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.[1][2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Fernando, Kishanie S. (9 June 2013). "Colonial Forts – relics of old time warfare". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ^ Pieris, Kamalika (24 May 2012). "Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka". The Daily News. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
Further reading
edit- Nelson, W. A.; de Silva, Rajpal Kumar (2004). The Dutch Forts of Sri Lanka - The Military Monuments of Ceylon. Sri Lanka Netherlands Association.