Trip to Balana Fort

© Copyright 2012 | charithmania.blogspot.com/ Forts Of Sri Lanka Forts and fortifications in Sri Lanka date back thousands of years with many being built by Sri Lankan Kings, these include several walled cities. With out set 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 styled forts, mostly in and round the cost 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 colonial forts were garrisoned up until the early twentieth 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. Map Pre-colonial forts Mapagala Fortress Sigiriya   Colonial Forts Arandora Fort Arippu Fort Balana Fort Batticaloa fort - Batticaloa   Colombo fort - Colombo Delft Island Fort - Jaffna   Elephant Pass Fort   Fort Beschutter - Jaffna Peninsula Fort Fredrick - Trincomalee   Fort Hammenhiel    Fort Macdowall Fort Ostenburg - Trincomalee  Fort Pyl - Jaffna Peninsula Galle fort - Galle   Hanwella / Gurubewila Fort Jaffna fort - Jaffna   Kalpitiya fort  Kalutara Fort Katuwana Fort  Kayts Island Fort Koddiyar Fort Malwana Fort Mannar fort   Martello tower of Hambantota Matara fort - Matara    Menikkadawara Fort Mullattivu Fort Negombo fort   Pooneryn fort Ratnapura (Sabaragamuwa) Fort Ruwanwella Fort Sitawaka fort - Avissavella Star fort - Matara    Tangalle fort Balana Fort This was a strategic fort and an outpost built by King Rajasinhe II and lies on the way to Kandy. It was briefly taken by a 6000 strong Portuguese in 1638 during their last attempt to capture the Kingdom of Kandy. The the final battle at Gannoruwa resulted in over 4000 of their soldiers killed and the rest captured.