Tangalle Fort | |
---|---|
Part of Hambantota District | |
Tangalle, Sri Lanka | |
Coordinates | 6°1′21″N 80°47′53″E / 6.02250°N 80.79806°E |
Type | Defence fort |
Height | 12 m (39 ft) |
Site information | |
Controlled by | Government of Sri Lanka |
Open to the public |
no |
Condition | good |
Site history | |
Built by | Dutch |
Materials | limestone and coral |
Tangalle Fort (Sinhalese: තංගල්ල බලකොටුව) is a small Dutch fort located in the coastal town of Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The Dutch used Tangalle as an important anchorage on the southern coast of the island.
Tangalle fort differs from most other forts constructed by the Dutch, in that the fort has no massive ramparts. The four main walls, which are 12 m (39 ft) high, enclose a space similar to a rhombus, in height, in opposite corners of the structure. The fort was significantly altered by the British in the middle of the 19th century when it was converted into a prison. The British also used Tangalle as an anchorage. The fort is still being used as a prison by the Department of Prisons.