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The Colombo Fort was originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century as a fortified city. After capturing it in 1656, the Dutch demolished parts of the existing fortifications and reinforced the military section of the fort.
The Dutch established three main entrances: Galle Gate in the south, Water Gate for harbor access to facilitate trade, and Delft Gate to the east. Among them, Delft Gate, also known as the East Gate, was the most crucial during Dutch rule. This gate connected the civilian population of Pettah (also called Old City) with a drawbridge and causeway across a marsh with Surury trees on each side (Heydt, 1744/1952, p. 3).
Unlike conventional gates, its inner and outer entrances were not directly aligned but connected via a curved passageway through the rampart—a strategic design to enhance military defense. (R. K. De Silva & Beumer, 1988, p. 228)
Although much of the fort has been demolished to make way for commercial development, the Delft Gate has survived. It can still be found within the premises of the Commercial Bank on Bristol Street (now Sir Razik Fareed Mawatha) in Pettah.
source : The Fortress of Colombo: from the Portuguese and Dutch to the British by Chryshane Mendis
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References
- De Silva, R. K., & Beumer, W. G. M. (1988). Illustrations and views of Dutch Ceylon 1602-1796. Serendib Publications.
- Heydt, J. W. (1952). Heydt’s Ceylon : Being the Relevant Sections of the Allerneuester Geographisch- Und Topographischer Schau-Platz Von Africa Und Ost-Indien Etc. Etc (R. Raven-Hart, Trans.). Ceylon Government Information Department. (Original work published 1744)
- Mendis, C. (2017). The Fortress of Colombo: from the Portuguese and Dutch to the British. FORT, the International Journal of Fortifications and Military Architecture, 45, 56–69.
- Mendis, C. (2022, February 5). The Fortress of Colombo: What else remains? Sri Lanka Archaeology. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.archaeology.lk/the-fortress-of-colombo-what-else-remains/
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Map of the Delft Gateway of Dutch Fort of Colombo
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Travel Directions to Delft Gateway of Dutch Fort of Colombo
| Distance from Fort Railway Station to Delft Gateway of Dutch Fort of Colombo |
| Distance: 1.5 km Travel time : 5 min Driving Directions: see on Google map |
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