17 Facts About Galle

Galle is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 kilometres from Colombo.

Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District.

Galle was known as Gimhathiththa before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island.

Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period.

Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles and native traditions.

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The Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.

Galle is home to the Galle International Stadium, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world.

Important natural geographical features in Galle include Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large mound-like hill that forms the eastern protective barrier to Galle Harbour.

Gaala in Sinhala means the place where cattle are herded together; hence the Sinhalese name for Galle, ????, is a development from Gaala.

Galle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country: Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays, Indians, and Chinese were doing business through Galle's port.

Galle is a sizeable city, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 101,749 the majority of whom are of Sinhalese ethnicity, with a large population of Sri Lankan Moor, particularly in the fort area, who descend from Arab merchants that settled in the ancient port of Galle and married Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil women.

Galle is notable for its foreign population, both residents and owners of holiday homes.

Galle is home to some of the oldest leading schools in Sri Lanka, with twenty-nine government schools and five international schools constituting the city's educational system.

Advanced Technological Institute in Labuduwa, Galle was started in 2000, and it planned to offer Higher National Diploma in Information Technology and Higher National Diploma in Agriculture Technology – HNDT.

The National Institute of Business Management in Galle was established in 2010 to provide higher education opportunities in the fields of information technology and business management.

Galle is served by Sri Lanka Railways' Coastal Line and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara.

Galle Railway Station is a major station on the line and serves as the meeting point of the west- and south-coast segments of the line.