The fort was built upon destroying of the famous Buddhist temple known as the Gangathilaka Viharaya by the Portuguese. It is now replaced by the Kalutara Viharaya, which is one of the most visited tourist attractions.
History
Even though the Portuguese built the fort in 1622, a Sri Lankan king by the name of King Mayadunne captured it in a battle lead by his 13-year-old son Tikiri Rajjuru Bandara (who late later became king Rajasinghe 1). However, the Portuguese retook it and handed it over to the Dutch without a fight in 1655.
Evolvement of the Fort
After being handed over to the Dutch, two additional bastions were contructed by increasing the size of the ramparts and digging a moat. Rumours say that the Dutch got down special architects from Netherlands to rebuild this fort. It was later surrendered to the British in 1769 and they used it as the residence of the government agent. Today no remains of the fort are left, and the Kalutara Vihara stands here instead.
Location
Unfortunately, the fort collapsed after the battle of Kandy, and the temple which was destroyed long before was rebuilt on the same location, now called the Kalutara Vihara. Located in proximity to many Kalutara Hotels, the temple is visited by many tourists and locals who come to seek blessings. Hotels such as the Mermaid Hotel and Club are just a mere 10 mins from the location and is the ideal place to stay at if you want to explore the city.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+
