Ratnapura Portuguese Fort (රත්නපුර පෘතුගීසි බලකොටුව)

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The Portuguese first landed in Sri Lanka in 1505 through the Galle Port. Later the Portuguese army came through Arandara and Ruwanwella and captured Ratnapura. During the Portuguese occupation of Ratnapura, they demolished the ancient Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya and built a Fort and a church in this place. Later King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandyan Kingdom re-captured the Ratnapura, destroyed the church and the Ratnapura fort, and built a temple on the site (Maha Saman Devalaya) on the site.

With the demise of Sitawaka Rajasinghe, the Portuguese marched towards Sitawaka destroying and looting temples on the way. These included Delgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya, Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya, and Pothgul Viharaya which were highly venerated by the Buddhists. The Ratnapura Fort and a church were built on the ground of Saman Devalaya around 1618-1620 by the Portuguese.

Later King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe of Kandyan Kingdom re-captured the Ratnapura, destroyed the church and the Portuguese Fort at Ratnapura, and built a temple (Maha Saman Devalaya) on the site.

The Dutch rebuilt a fort at Ratnapura using a higher ground where the current town lies. This fort covered an area where the Police Station, Public Library, and the Old Kachcheri is now located.

There is a little Portuguese church with a Portuguese stone slab on the wall. Some of the walls and a stone slab are said to remain today.

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Map of Fort at Ratnapura Portuguese Fort

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Driving Directions to Portuguese Ratnapura Portuguese Fort (Maha Saman Devalaya – Ratnapura)

Route I from Colombo to Ratnapura Portuguese Fort	Route II from Colombo to Ratnapura Portuguese Fort
Through : Homagama – Bandaragama – Horana – Ratnapura Distance :93 km Travel time : 2.5 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Awissawella Distance :92 km Travel time : 2.5 hours Driving directions : see on google map

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Also See

Map of Fort at Ratnapura Portuguese Fort

Driving Directions to Portuguese Ratnapura Portuguese Fort (Maha Saman Devalaya – Ratnapura)

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