"Colonial Galle" Top 5 Page for this destination Galle by jungles

Galle Travel Guide: 70 reviews and 212 photos

Colonial buildings on the streets of Galle

Galle is about as attractive a colonial city as you can find on the subcontinent. You shouldn't expect stunning architectural beauty like Cartagena in Colombia or Zacatecas in Mexico, however; think 'faded grandeur' and remember that you're still in Sri Lanka after all. Galle Fort, the only part of the city that is of any real interest to tourists, is more of an old walled city than a fort. There are about two hundred houses inside its walls, including some nice guesthouses. Life within the walls moves at a snail's pace, and there's not a whole lot there apart from a few antique stores. The most interesting buildings are the Lighthouse, the Meeran Jumma Masjid (a mosque that looks like a church), and the Dutch Reformed Church. The outside walls themselves are perhaps the fort's greatest attraction, and walking around the ramparts is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. There has been some major foreign investment and some big plans in the works for Galle, with the aim of making it the premier cultural attraction and tourist draw in Sri Lanka's south by 2010. I imagine the tsunami was a bit of a damper to these plans, though. Galle was one of the worst-hit places in Sri Lanka, although the fort area was largely spared as it was protected by the old ramparts built by the Portuguese.

Old car

More colonial buildings

Pros and Cons

Pros:peaceful, attractive buildings, nice views from the ramparts
Cons:not many restaurants or other services within the fort
In a nutshell:Definitely worth a stop for a day or two

Last visit to Galle: May 2006
Intro Written May 24, 2006
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (10)

Train and bus stations Transportation (1)

The train and bus stations are next to each other near the cricket ground, with the fort about a ten-minute walk away on... more travel advice

A wonderful guesthouse Hotels (1)

This long-established, family-run guesthouse has been operating since 1968 and is housed in a lovely large colonial... more travel advice

Dutch Reformed Church Things to Do (5)

This church was first built in 1754 and has recently been restored at the expense of the Dutch government. There are... more travel advice

Meeran Jumma Masjid Things to Do (5)

This mosque that dominates the Arab Quarter of the fort looks very much like a church in its architectural style, except... more travel advice

Restaurants (2)
See All Great seafood at a nice price

Tourist Traps (1)
National Cultural Museum

Comments (5)

Reply
- Report abuse
nepalgoods Oct 6, 2007 at 11:29 PM

Galle is such a nice place! Your pics make me want to go there again.
Reply
- Report abuse
Jerelis Jul 27, 2007 at 7:26 AM

Altijd leuk om Nederlanders te ontmoeten via VT!!! Nice page and thanx for sharing ...
Reply
- Report abuse
JLBG Jun 20, 2006 at 9:06 PM

Amazing to see a mosque that looks like a church! In Rabat, I have seen a church that looked like a mosque!
Reply
- Report abuse
BluBluBlu Jun 11, 2006 at 12:15 AM

Mmmmmmm...can almost taste the grilled tuna! Nice page! Blu
Reply
- Report abuse
bike_packer Jun 7, 2006 at 7:59 PM

hello wendy! i am amazed to learn that the ironic opposites of church/mosque architectures exist. wish this would help in the harmonious co-existent of different religious beliefs. btw, i love the view of the "rampart". i can feel the breeze blowing