Galle Coast

Galle's natural harbour lies on the southwestern shore of Lanka, protected to the east by the hill of Rumassala. Long before European conquest, Persian, Arab, Indian, Malay and Chinese merchants visited the port. Ibn Battuta called here in 1342, and a stone inscription in Chinese, Tamil and Persian was erected in 1411 to commemorate Zheng He's visit. The Portuguese surrendered Galle to the Dutch in 1640; the Dutch rebuilt its fortifications, raising granite walls and bastions in 1663.