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Galle is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of
Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District.
Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the
Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th
century, during the Dutch colonial period. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and
Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles and native traditions. The city was
extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the
largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.
Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the city's natural
harbor, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the
island, and Amangalla, the historic luxury hotel. On 26 December 2004, the city was devastated by the massive tsunami caused by
the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which occurred off the coast of Indonesia a thousand miles away. Thousands were killed in the
city alone. Galle is home to the Galle International Stadium, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket
grounds in the world. The ground, which was severely damaged by the tsunami, was rebuilt and test matches resumed there on 18
December 2007. Ref:
Wikipedia
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