heritage · Northern
Jaffna Fort — Jaffna
Cover photo: Zoshua Colah (Unsplash)
- District
- Jaffna
- Province
- Northern
- Best for
- History buffs and sunset walkers; ramparts, moat and lagoon views
About this place
Star-shaped fort first built by the Portuguese in 1619 and expanded by the Dutch, the second-largest fort in Sri Lanka. Walk the ramparts free, best late afternoon for light and sea breeze. Combine with the nearby archaeological museum and the old Dutch church ruins.
Visitor brief
Good to know before you go
- Star-shaped/pentagonal colonial fort: Portuguese foundations (1618-19), Dutch expansion (1658), later British garrison.
- Free to walk the ramparts; best in late afternoon for light and sea breeze.
- Civil-war battle damage is visible on walls - it is a war-scarred as well as colonial site.
- Combine with the nearby archaeological museum and old Dutch church ruins.
- Carry water and sun cover; the ramparts are exposed.
How to travel there
In Jaffna town by tuk-tuk or on foot from the centre; walkable from the library and market area.
Where to stay
Stay in Jaffna town centre (guesthouses to mid-range hotels); the fort is inside the town.
Nearby places
Jaffna Public Library, Jaffna Central Market, Nallur Kandaswamy Temple
Comments & tips