Kayts Island Fort in Jaffna | AmazingLanka.com

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Ruins of Kayts Island Fort
Photo By : anoj pathy

Historically known as Urathota, Kayts was a vital port for elephant exports, eventually renamed by the Portuguese as “Caes dos Elefantes.” This horseshoe-shaped fort featured massive walls and artillery bastions. Though it fell into ruin under Dutch rule, its archaeological remains and ancient Tamil inscriptions highlight its strategic maritime importance.

Known in ancient times as Urathota or Uruthota, Kayts was an important port in ancient Sri Lanka. According to the Nagadeepa Tamil inscription, during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186), Urathota functioned as a main port for Indian merchant vessels. The king is said to have given special attention to ships transporting horses and elephants through this harbor.

Evolution of the Name

The name Kayts originated during the period of Portuguese rule. It is derived from the term Caes dos Elefantes, meaning “elephant’s mouth.” This name was used because Sri Lankan elephants were exported to India through this port. Over time, Caes dos Elefantes was shortened to Cais. Following the expulsion of the Portuguese and the arrival of the Dutch in Jaffna, the name evolved into Kays, and eventually into Kayts.

Construction and Features of the Fort

The fort at Kayts was constructed by the Portuguese. In 1635, Antonio Bocarro, the chronicler-general of the Portuguese State of India, documented this structure, referring to it as the “Fort at the Elephants Quay.” He described it as being comparable in size to the Mannar Fort, but superior in design.

The fort featured two bastions on the landward side and a breastwork along the seaward side measuring approximately 35 m (114.8 ft) in length and 5.5 m (18 ft) in width. The structure was elevated on beams rather than being solidly filled, and the open gallery beneath could not be adequately protected, as rainwater entered through openings designed for the movement of artillery.

There were twelve open embrasures positioned at a height of about 2.5 m (8.2 ft) from ground level, with an additional 1.8 m (5.9 ft) extending upward from the parapet. The fort was equipped with eight artillery pieces, including three 8-pounders, three 6-pounders, and two 5-pounders. It also contained sufficient space to accommodate ammunition, along with quarters for the captain and approximately 40 soldiers.

Dutch Period and Decline

In his 1672 memoir, the Dutch pastor Baldaeus records that during the Dutch invasion of Jaffna in 1658, a message of surrender was sent to the Portuguese commander stationed at Fort Kayts. However, he provides no further details about the structure itself.

After capturing Jaffna, the Dutch did not attempt to reconstruct the fort. This decision may have been influenced by the presence of the nearby Hammenhiel Fort, which likely fulfilled the strategic needs of the region.

From the "Journel of the Duch Burger Union of Ceylon" of April 1940 — From the “Journal of the Dutch Burger Union of Ceylon” of April 1940

Observations in the 19th Century

The next significant account of this fort comes from an author writing under the pseudonym PENN, who contributed to the Colombo Journal in 1832. He noted that the fort was already in ruins at the time of his visit and referred to it as “Erie Fort.” His observations described a structure approximately 39.6 m (130 ft) in length, featuring four cylindrical sections and notably thick walls. The fort had two main gates on the eastern and western sides, while part of its outer slope faced the sea to the north.

Study by J Pearson in 1926

In 1926, the British author J. Pearson conducted a detailed study of the remaining ruins. By this time, much of the structure described by PENN had been destroyed. Pearson concluded that the fort was not square in design, but rather horseshoe-shaped, with two bastions facing the sea and the convex side oriented southward toward the land.

The fort measured approximately 83.5 m (274 ft) in length up to the northern wall connecting the bastions, and 62.8 m (206 ft) at its widest point. The outer wall of the horseshoe was about 5.8 m (19 ft) thick and enclosed two clearly defined rectangular areas. The northern rectangle measured 35.4 × 29 m (116 × 95 ft) and likely served as a courtyard.

The southern section of the fort contained residential quarters for the garrison, arranged around another rectangular courtyard measuring 27.7 × 25.3 m (91 × 83 ft). This area included ten rooms opening into the courtyard, which was probably used for everyday domestic activities.

කයිට්ස් බලකොටුවේ සැළැස්ම 1923දී පලකළ FORTS OF THE JAFFNA ISLANDS ලිපියෙන් — කයිට්ස් බලකොටුවේ සැළැස්ම 1923දී පලකළ FORTS OF THE JAFFNA ISLANDS

The northern part of the fort featured both outer and inner ramparts on the eastern and western sides, separated by an open space measuring approximately 4 m (13 ft) in width and 48.8 m (160 ft) in length. A particularly notable feature of the inner wall was an arched passage running along its outer side. This passage was supported at intervals by internal buttresses projecting inward, dividing the space into multiple compartments.

Although much of the fort had deteriorated over time, the removal of rubble has allowed the remaining structures to be partially preserved.

Archaeological Inscription

An inscription of archaeological importance has been discovered near the fort. Written in Tamil script, its content is as follows:

Good luck!! At Mathottam (Rajarajapura) in Mannar, Jayankontha alias Muwantha Veler, the commander and general, conquered Sri Lanka and took away King Mahinda and the queen.

The King Mahinda mentioned in this inscription is believed to be King Mahinda V (982–1029 CE), who is regarded as the last ruler of the Anuradhapura kingdom.

References

Baldaeus, P., 1672. ‘A true and exact description of the most celebrated East-India coasts of Malabar and Coromandel and also of the Isle of Ceylon. 1st ed. Amsterdam: Janssonius van Waasberge en van Someren.
NOTES ON THE FORTS OF THE JAFFNA ISLANDS. Pearson, J. (1923). The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 29(76), 186-193.
Abeyasinghe, T. B. H. , 1995, Description of Ceylon in the in the Book of the Plans of all the Fortresses Cities and towns of the State of Oriental India by ATNONIO BOCARRO Dedicated to the Most Serene Royal Majesty Philip IV of the Spains and III of Portugal our Lord the King February 17, 1635. . Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka , new series. 1995. Vol. 39
කෝරළගේ, එස්. බී. and කල්ප අසංක, එම්. වී. ජී. , 2017. යාපනය දිස්ත්‍රික්කය. 1st ed. කොළඹ: පුරාවිද්‍යා දෙපාර්තුමේන්තුව, p.91.

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Travel Directions to Kayts Fort in Jaffna

Jaffna can be reached through two principal routes. The most commonly used approach is via Elephant Pass, which has long served as the traditional gateway to the Jaffna Peninsula.

An alternative route reaches Jaffna from the direction of Pooneryn by crossing the Sangupiddy Bridge. This crossing follows what was historically the ancient route to the peninsula before the construction of modern highways. The route provides a connection between Jaffna and the Mannar region.

Route 01 from Colombo to Jaffna Through Kurunegala (Popular Route)	Route 02 from Colombo to Jaffna Through Puttalam and Pooneryn (Lesser Traveled Route)
Through : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Anuradhapura – Vavuniya Distance: 410 km Travel Time: 7-8 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Puttalam – Thantirimale – Mannar – Poonaryn Distance: 408 km Travel Time: 8 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.

From Jaffna to Kytes Island Fort

Though :
Distance : 23 km
Travel time : 30 mins
Time to Spend : about 30 minutes
Driving directions : see on Google Map