The Official Website of the Royal Family of Jaffna (Sri Lanka)

THE FORT OF JAFFNA

THE PLACE OF EXECUTION

The Fort of Jaffna was first built by the Portuguese in 1619 and it was the last stronghold of the Portuguese in Ceylon. In 1658, the Dutch captured the fortress under Raiclop Van Goens. Later the Dutch destroyed the Portuguese construction and rebuilt the new fort on the ruins of the Portuguese fort and it was completed in 1680. It is perfectly preserved and one of the best strongest Fort in Asia. The Fort of Jaffna has strong ramparts and battlements stand high on the grass covered mound and are surrounded by a moat. It was a grander and more heavily armed fort then Batavia (Jakarta), Indonesia. There was also within the Fort of Jaffna a Church built “Kruys Kerk“ in the shape of a cross.

The Star-shaped Fort covers an area of 22 hectares (55 acres). The Fort was taken over by the British in 1795 and remained under the control of a British garrison till 1948. The historic 400 years old Dutch Fort in Jaffna, was destroyed during the Civil War and in 2010 the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands contributed funds towards reconstruction of the Fort of Jaffna.