# Forts in Sri Lanka

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Forts in Sri Lanka date back thousands of years, with many being built by Sri Lankan kings. These include several walled cities. With the outset of colonial rule in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka was occupied by several major colonial empires that from time to time became the dominant power in the Indian Ocean. The colonists built several western-style forts, mostly in and around the coast of the island. The first to build colonial forts in Sri Lanka were the Portuguese; these forts were captured and later expanded by the Dutch. The British occupied these Dutch forts during the Napoleonic wars.
Most of the colonial forts were garrisoned up until the early 20th century. The coastal forts had coastal artillery manned by the Ceylon Garrison Artillery during the two world wars. Most of these were abandoned by the military but retained civil administrative officers, while others retained military garrisons, which were more administrative than operational. Some were reoccupied by military units with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War; Jaffna fort, for example, came under siege several times.

## Anuradhapura period

| Name | Founded | Abandoned | Location | Condition | Controlled by | Type |
| Vijithapura | 5th Century BC Anuradhapura Kingdom | | Central Province | | | Fortress City |
| Sigiriya | 5th Century by Kashyapa I | 495 CE | Dambulla, Central Province | Ruined | Government of Sri Lanka | Citadel |
| Mapagala fortress | | | Central Province | | | |

## Transitional period
### Sitawaka forts

| Image | Name | Founded | Abandoned | Location | Condition | Controlled by | Type | Notes |
| | Sitawaka fort | | | Avissawella, Western Province | | | | |
| | Hanwella Fort | | | Hanwella, Western Province | Destroyed | | Defence | |

### Portuguese forts

| Name | Founded | Abandoned | Location | Condition | Controlled by | Type |
| Colombo fort | 1518, 1554 | 1524, 1870 | Colombo fort, Western Province | Destroyed | - | Defence |
| Fort Fredrick | 1624 | - | Trincomalee, Eastern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Batticaloa fort | 1628 | | Batticaloa, Eastern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Arandora fort | | | Narangoda, North Western Province | Destroyed | - | Defence |
| Arippu fort | | | Arippu, Northern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Delft Island fort | | | Neduntheevu, Northern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Elephant Pass fort | 1776 | | Elephant Pass, Northern Province | Destroyed | - | Defence |
| Galle fort | 1588 | - | Galle, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Haldummulla fort | 1630 | | Haldummulla, Uva | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Fort Hammenheil | 1618 | | Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Jaffna fort | 1618 | | Jaffna, Northern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Star fort |
| Kalutara fort | 1655 | | Kalutara, Western Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Kayts Island fort | 1629 | | Kayts, Northern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Kotugodella fort | 1630 | | Ettampitiya, Uva Province | Ruins | | Defence |
| Mannar fort | 1560 | | Mannar, Northern Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Matara fort | 1550 | | Matara, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Menikkadawara fort | 1599 | | Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Negombo fort | 1672 | | Negombo, Western Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Pooneryn fort | 16?? | | Pooneryn, Northern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Ratnapura fort | 1618, 1620 | | Ratnapura, Sabaragamuwa Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Ruwanwella fort | 1590s | | Ruwanwella, Sabaragamuwa Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Hanwella fort | 1597 | | Hanwella, Western Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |

## Kandyan period
### Kandyan forts

| Name | Location | Condition | Type |
| Balana fort | Balana, Central Province | Ruined | Defence |
| Hunnasgiriya Fort | Hunnasgiriya, Central Province | Ruined | Defence |
| Welanhinna Ancient Fort | Diyatalawa, Uva Province | Destroyed | |

### Dutch forts

| Name | Founded | Abandoned | Location | Condition | Controlled by | Type |
| Fort Hammenheil | 1618 | - | Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Koddiyar fort | 1622 | | Muttur, Eastern Province | Destroyed | | Defence |
| Katuwana Fort | 1646 | - | Katuwana, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Kalpitiya fort | 1667–76 | - | Kalpitiya, North Western Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Mullaitivu fort | 1715 | | Mullaitivu, Northern Province | Ruins | | Defence |
| Star fort | 1763–65 | - | Matara, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Star fort |
| Fort Beschutter | | | Elephant Pass, Northern Province | Destroyed | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Fort Ostenburg | | | Trincomalee, Eastern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Fort Pyl | | | Elephant Pass, Northern Province | Ruins | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |
| Point Pedro fort | | | Point Pedro, Northern Province | Destroyed | | Defence |
| Tangalle fort | | | Tangalle, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence |

### British forts

| Image | Name | Founded | Abandoned | Location | Condition | Controlled by | Type | Notes |
| | Martello tower | 1801-03 | | Hambantota, Southern Province | Good | Government of Sri Lanka | Defence tower | |
| | Fort MacDowall | 1803 | | Matale Central Province | | | | |