Galle is the main town of Galle District in Southern Province in Sri Lanka. The Galle Dutch Fort is located in Galle town. It is the largest Dutch Fort in Sri Lanka. Galle Fort was built first in 1588 by the Porthuguese and then expansively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th Century form 1648 on wards. It has area of 52ha. inside the walls defended by 14 bastions. The northern fortified gate, protected by a drawbridge and a diteh, bear the date 1669. During the 18th century, protected by sea wall finished in 1729, the city reached full development. The fort of Galle was handed over to the English only on 23rd February 1796, one week after the surrender of Colombo. Dutches made a gate put in between the moon bastion and the sun bastion, a lighthouse installed on the untrcht bastion, and a tower erected for the jublilee of Queen Victoria in 1883.
The Golden temple ( Dambulla Cave Temple) of dambulla is the largest well preserved and sacred cave temple site in Sri lanka. The site location in the central port of the Sri lanka at distance of 142Km from the Eastern port of Colombo. 72Km from North of kandy. It is believed that when King Vatta Gamini was fleeing from his enemies in the 1st Century BC, he was sheltered by ascetic monks who lived in these caves. The caves further, enlarged by King Nissankamall in the12th century with five temples built in to them. The Dambulla cave temple has 153 Buddha statues, 4 statues of Other gods including the Hindu Gods, Vishnu and Ganesh and 3 statues of the Kings who ruled Sri Lanka in the ancient times. The 5 important caves of the temple have been transformed in to shrine rooms, Consisting of Buddha statues, Mural paintings and statues of hindu details and Sri Lankan Kings. The Golden Buddha statue is of particular significance rising to a height of 100ft. The work towards the construction of the Golden Buddha statue on March 6, 1998 and installed after three years on Vesak full moon day that fell on may 6,2001 amidst rituals performed by the religious priests.
