Negombo Fort

Negombo Fort

Negombo Fort (Sinhala: මීගමුව බලකොටුව; Tamil: நீர்கொழும்புக் கோட்டை) is an old fort situated in Negombo in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka. History The fort was built by the Portuguese to defend Colombo (Mandawala, 2012). It was captured and destroyed by the Dutch in 1640. It was rebuilt by them, not on the usual square plan, but on a pentagonal one, though it had only four bulwarks (Mandawala, 2012). However, with the advent of the British,  the fort was lost to the Dutch in 1796 (Mandawala, 2012). The site The fort had been built near the Negombo Lagoon. At present, only part of the walls and an arched gateway of the fort remain at the site (Mandawala, 2012). Above the gateway, a slab of granite depicting the date 1678 can be seen. The site is used as a prison by the Department of Prisons. A protected site The approach gate and the ramparts of the Dutch Fort situated in the Negombo Court approach road in the Grama Niladhari Wasama No. 156A, Uturmunnakkaraya in the Negombo Divisional Secre…