Portuguese Black Fort of Galle – අතීතයේ සැඟවුනු ගාල්ල කළු කොටුව (ස්වාට් බලකොටුව)

The Black Fort of Galle, Sri Lanka also called Santa Cruz or Zwart Fort (Zwart Bastian)

The Black Fort is the most ancient part of the Galle Fort, which was built by the Portuguese. This fort was built in 1588 and was called “Santa Cruz.” After Galle was conquered by the Dutch, it was known as the “Black Fort,” “Zwart Fort,” or the “Zwart Bastian.”

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The history of the Galle Fort can be traced back to 1588, when King Rajasinghe I (1581–1593) of Sitawaka attacked the Portuguese capital of Colombo, forcing the Portuguese to retreat to Galle, one of the island’s flourishing ports since ancient times. At Galle, they constructed a small fort using palm trees, coral stones, and mud. They named it Santa Cruz. In 1625, the Portuguese expanded the fort by adding a watchtower, three bastions, and a Fortaleza to protect the harbour.

The Dutch and the Black Fort

After the Portuguese surrendered Galle to the Dutch in 1640, the fort was expanded to approximately its present size in 1643. The Dutch referred to the section known as Santa Cruz as the “Black Fort”, or Zwart Fort (Zwart Bastion).

The reason for the name “Black Fort” remains debatable. Some believe it was derived from the thick clouds of smoke that continuously emerged from the cannons and guns positioned within the bastion. Others believe that the name originated from the fort’s use as a holding facility for African slaves brought to the island by the Dutch.

Collapse and Conservation

Around 2000–2001, a section of the Black Fort, together with several ancient prison cells located above it, collapsed. During the same period, part of the Sailors’ Bastion was washed away by heavy seas. The Sailors Bastion is the only bastion of the fort that is not protected by coral reefs, making it particularly vulnerable to strong waves and coastal erosion.

The Central Cultural Fund (CCF) subsequently undertook conservation work on the damaged sections. The conservation project was completed in 2006 with funding from the Netherlands.

Access to the Black Fort

The official residence and office of the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (Senior DIG) for the Southern Province are located within the ancient Black Fort. In the past, visitors had to obtain special permission from the DIG’s office to access the site. The area is now open to the public, and a footpath has been constructed across the land belonging to the DIG’s office, with signboards directing visitors towards the fort.

The holding cells of Black Fort of Galle

Police has built a mini museum of police uniforms in front of the prison cells inside the Black Fort of Galle

A guard post inside the Black Fort of Galle

Sloping path towards the tunnel which leads to a entrance at the Black Fort of Galle

A tunnel which leads to a entrance at the Black Fort of Galle

The steel gate of the tunnel which leads to a entrance at the Black Fort of Galle. This gate could be lifted from the top of the fort

ground reinforced with rock slabs to place the heavy guns at Black fort of Galle

Also See

Map of the Portuguese Black Fort of Galle

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Driving Directions to Portuguese Black Fort of Galle

Route from Galle to Portuguese Black Fort

Through : Stadium Road
Distance : 1 km
Travel time : 5 minutes
Driving directions : see on google map

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