The Kalpitiya Dutch Fort is located at the extreme tip of the Kalpitya region in the Puttlam District of Sri Lanka. Once a strategic fort during the country’s colonial era, the fort still serves as a Sri Lankan Navy Base. Here are a few fascinating facts about the fort, its Dutch roots and the shifting political times that this historic fort has endured.
History
The Kalpitiya Dutch Fort was constructed by the Dutch forces from 1667 to 1676 and was strategically positioned to allow the Dutch East India Company to control the external trade of the Sri Lankan Kandyan Kingdom. It also commanded the entrance to the Puttlam lagoon which was significant given that the surrounding Puttlam area was used for cinnamon cultivation.
In 1795, the Fort was surrendered to the British who continued to occupy the fort until 1859. The fort was subsequently neglected until it was converted into a Sri Lankan Navy Base. It was then used for training and operational activity during the Sri Lankan Civil War.
Due to its historical significance, the Kalpitiya Fort is a popular site for tourists to visit, and those staying at the hotels and resorts in the area like the Dolphin Beach Resort can organise an excursion to the historic fort.
Construction
The fort was originally constructed using coral and limestone from the surrounding areas and features a single entrance that faces the lagoon and resembles the entrance to a church. This feature was part of a plan by the Dutch to mislead the Sri Lankan Kandyan King into thinking that the building was a fortified Church. The yellow bricks that were used to make the entrance arch were imported from Holland. The fort was constructed to be nearly square-shaped and its walls reach up to 4 metres high.
Exterior Features
The Kalpitiya Fort still features four bastions in its corners, each with a guard post. There are two additional bastions that face the lagoon. The buildings within the fort are located around the periphery, which leaves an empty space in the middle of the fort.
Interior Buildings
The interior of the fort contains the ruins of an old church which was built around a Portuguese Roman Catholic shrine. Next to the Church is a large hall which is believed to have been where the fort’s inmates gathered for meals. There are also two tunnels that compensate for the single entrance to the fort. One tunnel led to the Dutch Reformed Church which stood 400 metres away, and the other led directly to the sea.
