Fort Galle which is pronounced „Four Gol“ (Four like 4 and Gol like in Galway) is said to be the best example of a fortified city with a fusion of European architecture and South Asian traditions built by Europeans in South and South East Asia.
In this this blog post we will look behind the mighty fortifications which were built in the late 16th century by the Portuguese and later advanced by the Dutch. We will introduce some local businesses including one that offers jewelry making workshops.
Fort Galle at a glance
Unlike what the local tuktuk drivers tell you, Fort Galle is a perfect place to explore on foot. The city ramparts frame an area of about 4 x 4 km. A grid pattern of streets is aligned by low houses with verandas in Dutch colonial style. Behind the mighty walls a multi-ethnic population meets the European style of living. The place has made it on our top 5 list of places to visit in Sri Lanka, mainly because Fort Galle still oozes a colonial charme. And unlike places like Yangon (Myanmar), where the colonial heritage has been somewhat neglected, most buildings in Fort Galle have been kept in prime condition. Lotus Verlinden, a local barrista who works at the Tallentire House Cafe told us that much of the property in town is owned by Dutch and British who see this place as their cultural heritage and hence protect it.
Fort Galle one normally enters through the main gate on the northern side across the International Cricket stadium. Walking down Church and Queens Street one will pass by the old Gate of Galle Fort, which literally runs right through the National Maritime Archaeology Museum. Above the gate the year ‘ANNO MDCLXIX’ (1669) is inscribed as well as the image of the Dutch Coat of Arms, the rooster and lion insignia and the inscription VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or United East Indian Company). Alongside is the impressive Court square. Underneath a beautiful banyan tree local artists sell paintings.
Places to Eat in Galle
Cafe at Tallentire House
If you stop by the Tallentire house which is a beautiful heritage building, the cafe is a little oasis tucked away in the back. There is a lovely decorated chill out zone where you can have some great coffee with apple tart while having a chat with Lotus Verlinden, who is a Sri-Lankan who grew up in the Netherlands. She serves freshly brewed coffee from De Pelikaan Koffie, a brand which is also used by the Royal Dutch Family.
Italian restaurant Aqua Forte
When we visited Galle Fort it was Christmas Eve and we wanted to celebrate indulging with some great food and wine. It was our last destination in Sri Lanka before we left the island to continue our travel half around the world in Myanmar. We have chosen to have dinner at AQUA Forte, which is ranked # 2 of restaurants in Galle at Tripadvisor. The place is located in a quiet street in a beautiful colonial building with arcades in front. Italian native Roberto Vicario who is both Head Chef and Managing Director serves a few handpicked dishes which are very delicate, visually appealing and on the creative side. Their Caprese, e.g. is made with Mozzarella mousse and tomato jelly. We can also recommend the Battuta Di Gamberi Alla Mediterranea, a prawn tartare which will certainly entertain your taste buds. Service and interior decor were first class. Bottomline, this place was the best place where we have eaten in Sri Lanka.
Jewelry making workshop
On AirBNB or Tripadvisor you can find this place which offers traditional jewelry making as a workshop in Galle. This is a well run family business. The parents who are both practicing silver smiths teach the art of traditional jewelry making in a workshop style. Their friendly son and his cousin speak very well english, they can explain everything which is happening. The cost for the 3 hours class is 14 EUR per person. Their place is located ca. 20 minutes outside of Fort Galle by car. They pick you up from the Galle bus station with a tuktuk.
Gems, semi-precious stones and jewelry
Snacks are served at the beginning of the class. Then they show raw gems, semi-precious stones and their own made silver jewelry.
Making a silver ring
After the gems show was over we were welcomed to make our own jewelry. I have chosen to make a silver ring and helped making it from scratch. The heat for the melting silver was produced by blowing air through a pipe into a flame ignited by oil. The metal was heated and cooled off several times before it was brought into a ring shape. Between both ends of the ring the gap was filled with silver of slightly lower melting temperature. The size of the ring was measured on my finger with a set of ring templates before the size of the ring was adapted accordingly using a cone shaped tool. Excess material was filed off. Then, a design pattern was hammered on the ring. Slowly, the ring got its final shape. At the end the fine tuning took place. Cleaning was done with help of soap nuts. Except for the polishing part for which a machine was used, everything was done handmade. The workshop costs do not the cover the material used for the ring, of course. For that I have paid 27 US $. The ring I wear proudly. I didn’t feel pushed to buy additional items. It was a very interesting workshop which I can highly recommend.
For visiting Fort Galle and the jewelry workshop we have planned just one day which was a bit short. So if you have time and your budged allows we advice to spend at least two days and one night there.
Hopefully with this blog post we have blown some fresh air at this UNESCO World Heritage site which is built like an eagle´s nest on the Southwest coast of Sri Lanka.
