A beautifully carved British coat of arms tops the entrance to the Old Gate on the outer side. Inside, the letters VOC, standing for Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Company), are inscribed in the stone with the date 1669, flanked by two lions and topped by a cockerel. A section of the fortifications here also served as a spice warehouse.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.57 MILES
A vision of tropical bliss, Mirissa Beach boasts powdery pale sand, while its azure water is framed by an arc of coconut palms. The west side is the…
10.1 MILES
This exquisite tea plantation in the hills above Koggala offers (free) highly informative tours of the estate. You'll sample and learn how they produce…
0.31 MILES
Flag Rock, at the southernmost end of the Fort, was once a Portuguese bastion. Today it is easily the most popular place to catch a sunset. During…
23.35 MILES
This fort was built by the Dutch to compensate for deficiencies in the neighbouring rampart, but it’s so small it could only have protected a handful of…
0.09 MILES
Originally built in 1640, the present building dates from 1752. Its floor is paved with gravestones from Dutch cemeteries, while other impressive features…
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Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Art Museum
7.99 MILES
This interesting museum includes the house where respected Sinhalese author Martin Wickramasinghe (1890–1976) was born (the traditional southern structure…
0.06 MILES
This spacious maritime museum occupies a colossal old spice warehouse built by the Dutch and dating back to the late 17th century. The structure was…
22.49 MILES
On the western side of town, this magnificent T-shaped building (once the town's market) will fascinate architectural buffs: it has an imposing, steeply…
Nearby Galle attractions
0.02 MILES
Nestled in the old walls, this small museum is worth a quick look for its skeleton of a Bryde's whale and a very useful model that explains how tsunamis…
0.05 MILES
This leafy, shady square is still a hub of legal activity and has several lawyers' chambers.
3. Marine Archeological Museum
0.06 MILES
This spacious maritime museum occupies a colossal old spice warehouse built by the Dutch and dating back to the late 17th century. The structure was…
0.06 MILES
A striking building that dates from 1683, over its doorway is a cockerel and the crest of Galle. It's not open to the public.
0.08 MILES
A handsome Victorian Gothic structure dating from the mid-19th century. It boasts impressive stained-glass windows, beautifully carved timber arches and…
0.08 MILES
Guarding Galle harbour, this bastion was enlarged by the Dutch in 1730 and contains a tunnel (which has not been excavated), possibly once used as a…
0.09 MILES
Originally built in 1640, the present building dates from 1752. Its floor is paved with gravestones from Dutch cemeteries, while other impressive features…