Martello Tower (Hambantota)
The Martello Tower (Sinhala: මාටෙලෝ කුළුණ, හම්බන්තොට; Tamil: மார்டெலோ காவற்கோபுரம், அம்பாந்தோட்டை) in Hambantota is a historical tower of the early British colonial era in southern Sri Lanka. It is the oldest structure dating from the British period in Hambantota District and the only example of this fortification type in the country (McCall, 1999; Wisumperuma, 2015). History Martello Towers Martello towers were built by the British in a number of their territories in the world after 1796 as a part of their military strategies. The name as well as the basic plan of these towers are related to a round tower at "Mortella" Point in Corsica, which was garrisoned by the French National Army (Wisumperuma, 2015). During the battle of San Fiorenzo in February 1794, the British troops under Sir David Dundas were impressed by its remarkable technical capabilities and strength (McCall, 1999; Wisumperuma, 2015). The British, after going through a study, adapted a tower of this type for the…
