Galle Fort | Sri Lanka's Only Non-Buddhist Cultural World Heritage Site

Galle Fort | Sri Lanka's Only Non-Buddhist Cultural World Heritage Site

Galle Fort (Sinhala: ගාලු කොටුව; Tamil: காலிக் கோட்டை) is an ancient fort in Galle, Sri Lanka. In 1988, it was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO based on criterion (iv) of outstanding universal value (ICOMOS, 1988). It is the only colonial and non-Buddhist cultural site among the country’s six Cultural World Heritage sites (Janakiraman, 2019). World Heritage Site:  Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications Location:  City of Galle, Southern Province, Sri Lanka Coordinates:  N6 1 40.984 E80 12 58.846 Date of Inscription:  1988 Description:  Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. Criteria:  (iv) Galle provides an outstanding example of an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European archit…