Colonial buildings in Galle
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The Dutch Reformed Church
The Groote Kerk, or Dutch Reformed Church, built in 1640, is an example of the Dutch architecture in Galle. The floors of this church are paved with old gravestones from Dutch cemeteries from all over Sri Lanka, some of which have unique carvings surrounding it and polished gravestones on the ground inside the building.
The Galle Fort Hotel
The Galle Fort Hotel in Galle, Sri Lanka, is a 12-room boutique hotel, situated inside the Galle Fort. The building was originally constructed in the 17th century, during the Dutch colonial period, as a Dutch merchants house.
Hotel Amangalla
Hotel Amangalla an Aman hotel and is situated in an old Dutch Commander’s manor house inside the Galle Dutch Fort, and was built in 1684. Across the street from the Dutch Reformed Church, the Amangalla is a great place to experience old Dutch Colonial architecture in the area. The oldest part of the hotel dates to 1684, and the complex was completed in 1715. It was known as the New Oriental Hotel for 140 years from 1865. In 2005 it became Amangalla resort complex.
The Dutch Hospital
The Dutch Hospital in Galle used to be the hospital to the officers and other staff of the Dutch East India Company VOC. Once the British captured the fort in 1796, the hospital with large breezy verandas became army barracks, and after that, the building had several other purposes including housing the Galle Town Hall. Nowadays the Dutch Hospital in Galle Fort is a popular shopping and dining precinct with panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.
COLONIAL
BUILDINGS
The architecture of Sri Lanka is influenced by colonisation by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the English. The colonial architecture of ancient Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, forms a major part of Sri Lanka’s tourist attractions. Many of the colonial buildings from different eras can be found in cities like Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Negombo, Jaffna and Trincomalee and there are remains of Portuguese, Dutch, and English Forts all around Sri Lanka.
