Sea Walls

The sea walls of the colonial city of Galle date back to the 18th century. They have been repeatedly reinforced by various colonial powers, first the Portuguese, then the Dutch who ruled Galle for 150 years, until the city finally fell into the hands of the English. These walls, along with the rest of the Galle fortress and the old colonial city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To reinforce the walls, several towers were built along the coast. The fort stands on a raised platform which is separated from the rest of the coast. It was a strategic point they used to defend against invaders.