This view, from Flag Rock Bastion, looks east to Point Utrecht Bastion and the lighthouse. The large white building in the center of the photo is, believe it or not, a mosque, built most unusually in the shape of a Portuguese Baroque cathedral. The building dates from 1904. Muslims, most of whom originally descended from Arab traders, form about 7% of the population of Sri Lanka; Christians are another 7%-8%, Hindus 15%, and Buddhists 70% (based on 2001 census). The mosque and churches in Galle illustrate both the reality of distinct minorities and the aspirations of modern Sri Lanka as an inclusive, multicultural state.