Sitting proudly next to the cobblestone path is a white beauty that is centuries old. This graceful structure is none other than the Dutch Reformed Church in the coastal city of Galle.
A bit of history
The church is said to have been built on the site of an old Portuguese convent which was set up back in 1640. Also known as ‘De Groote Kerk’, the Dutch Reformed Church in Galle was opened in the year 1755 during the Dutch conquest.
The interior
Believe it or not, the floor of the church is purely built of gravestones of various prominent figures in the time. The unique wooden pulpit and the ancient church organ take the limelight!
Burial Chambers
Underground by the side of the pulpit is the grave of General Hulft, Dutch Commander at the time. His arms were displayed on the wall by the side of his grave in the church. There is also a stone path leading to the back of the church where many other memorial gravestones lie.
A part of world heritage
In 1988, the church gained global recognition. UNESCO identified the unique architecture in the oldest Protestant church in Sri Lanka and declared it a world heritage site. The church is now a major tourist attraction, to keep up with the increasing tourist influx hotels in Galle, Sri Lanka the likes of Cantaloupe Aqua, for instance, have been set up.
