Matara fort
| Matara Fort | |
|---|---|
| Part of Matara | |
| Matara, Sri Lanka | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Defence fort |
| Controlled by | Government of Sri Lanka |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Good |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 5°56′54″N 80°32′55″E / 5.948304°N 80.548485°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1595 |
| Built by | Portuguese |
| Materials | Granite Stones and coral |
| Battles/wars | Matara Rebellion |
The Matara Fort (Sinhala: මාතර බලකොටුව Mathara Balakotuwa; Tamil: மாத்தறைக் கோட்டை, romanized: Māttaṟaik Kōṭṭai) was built in 1560 by the Portuguese and was substantially re-built by the Dutch in 1640, following the capture of Galle. The fort, which consists of a large stone rampart, occupies the promontory, which separates the Niwala Ganga (River) lagoon and the ocean.