Kalpitiya fort
| Kalpitiya Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Puttalam | |
| Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka | |
Kalpitiya fort (West side) | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Defence fort |
| Controlled by | Government of Sri Lanka |
| Open to the public | yes |
| Condition | good |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 8°14′8″N 79°45′58″E / 8.23556°N 79.76611°E |
| Height | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1667-1676 |
| Built by | Dutch |
| Materials | limestone and coral |
Kalpitiya Fort (Sinhala: කල්පිටිය බලකොටුව Kalpitiya Balakotuwa; Tamil: கற்பிட்டிக் கோட்டை, romanized: Kaṟpiṭṭik Kōṭṭai) was built by the Dutch between 1667 and 1676. Kalpitiya was important as it commands the entrance to the adjacent bay, Puttalam Lagoon. The surrounding Puttalam area was one of the major cinnamon cultivation areas in Sri Lanka. The Dutch even constructed a canal from Puttalam via Negombo to Colombo to transport cinnamon from the area.