The port of Galle situated in a strategic central location straddling the sea lanes of the Indian
Ocean was a sanctuary for all who called at it. Galle, then gained reputation not as a city with
intense density of inhabitants but also as a rare meeting point of the trans-oceanic monsoon
systems providing a gateway to hinterland rich in tropical products and ancient crafts and in
short was an emporium of exquisites. The fort site is a rocky promontory selected by the
Portuguese in the third decade of the 16 th century to construct a Fortress for their defense. After
about little over a century, in 1640 they were chased out by the Dutch and possessed it for

another one and a half century. The power changed hands again to the British in 1796. They too
left in 1948 allowing independent Sri Lanka to administer it. Thus the built environment of Galle
resembles multicultural features of all four nations, craftsmanship, solidness and the best
preservation encouraged the UNESCO to declare it a World Heritage Site in 1988. This
documentary gives you a comprehensive pictorial account covering all about Galle.

Screenplay/Direction: Christy Shelton Fernando
Consultant/Script: Prof. K.D. Paranavitana
Camera: P.K.Lenard
Editor: Thivanka Udagedara
Music: Deshaka Sampath
Narration : Arun Dias Bandaranayake (English)
Ajith Indraji Wijesena (Sinhala)