Galle

Galle

City
City of Galle
Clockwise from top left: Galle Temple, Aerial view of
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Galle (disambiguation).
Galle (Sinhala: ;Tamil: ) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the
southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative
capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District.
Galle is the fourth largest city in Sri Lanka after the capital Colombo, Kandy and
Jaffna.
Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to
it as Qali
[1]
) 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. The city was
extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. The
Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by
European occupiers.
Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the city's natural harbor, the National
Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main
Shiva temples on the island, and Amangalla the historic luxury hotel. On 26
December 2004 the city was devastated by the massive Tsunami caused by the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake that occurred a thousand miles away, off the coast
of Indonesia. Thousands were killed in the city alone. Galle is home to a cricket
ground, the Galle International Stadium which is considered to be one of the most
picturesque cricket grounds in the world.
[2]
The ground which was severely
damaged by the tsunami, was rebuilt and test matches resumed there on December
Coordinates: 6313N 801242E
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Clockwise from top left: Galle Temple, Aerial view of
Galle Fort, Interior of the Galle Fort, St. Aloysius
College, Galle View of the Galle International Stadium
from the Fort, Dutch Reformed Church of Galle, Galle
Municipal Council
Coordinates: 6313N 801242E
Country Sri Lanka
Province Southern Province
Government
Type Galle Municipal Council
Mayor Kalum Seneviratne (UPFA)
Headquarters Galle Town Hall
Area
Total
16.52 km
2
(6.38 sq mi)
Elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Population (2011)
Total 99,478
Density
5,712/km
2
(14,790/sq mi)
Demonym Galleans
Time zone Sri Lanka Standard Time
Zone (UTC+5:30)
Area code(s) 091
18, 2007.
Important natural geographical features in Galle include Rumassala in Unawatuna,
a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle
harbour. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of Ramayana, one of
the great Hindu epics. The major river in the area is the Gin River (Gin Ganga),
which begins from Gongala Kanda and passes villages such as Neluwa, Nagoda,
Baddegama, Thelikada and Wakwella, reaches the sea at Ginthota. The river is
bridged at Wakwella by the Wakwella Bridge.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
3 Governance
4 Climate
5 Demographics
6 Education
6.1 Schools
6.2 Universities
6.3 Higher Education Institutes
7 Transport
8 Twin cities
9 Gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 External links
Etymology [edit]
Galle was known as Gimhathitha, in ancient times and the term is believed to be
derived from the classical Sinhalese term meaning "port near the river Gin". It is
believed that the town got its name as Gaalla in the native tongue as a result of the
large number of bullock carts that took shelter in the area, following the long slow
journeys from remote areas of the island. "Gaala" in Sinhala means the place where
Galle

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Area code(s) 091
Website galle.mc.gov.lk
The port of Galle in 1754
cattle are herded together and hence the Sinhalese name for Galle, is a
development from Gaala.
[3][4]
Another theory is that the word Galle is derived from
the Dutch word Gallus which means rooster. The Dutch have also used the rooster as a symbol of Galle.
History [edit]
According to James Emerson Tennent, Galle was the ancient seaport of Tarshish,
from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks and other valuables. Cinnamon
was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is
Hebrew, so Galle may have been a main entrepot for the spice.
[5]
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 port. In 1411, the Galle Trilingual Inscription, a stone tablet
inscription in three languages, Chinese, Tamil and Persian, was erected in Galle to
commemorate the second visit to Sri Lanka by the Chinese admiral Zheng He.
The "modern" history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship, under Loureno de Almeida was driven there by a
storm. However, the people of the city refused to let the Portuguese enter it, so the Portuguese took it by force. In 1640, the
Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built the present Fort in the year 1663. They built a
fortified wall, using solid granite, and built three bastions, known as "Sun", "Moon" and "Star". After the British took over the country
from the Dutch in the year 1796, they preserved the Fort unchanged, and used it as the administrative centre of Galle.
Governance [edit]
The Galle Municipal Council governs the City of Galle, established under the Municipalities Ordinance of 1865. It was at the time,
only the 3rd municipal council in the country. The first mayor of the city was appointed in 1939 in the person of Wijeyananda
Dahanayake, who later went on to become the fifth Prime Minister of Ceylon.
The current Acting Mayor of Galle is Kalum Seneviratne, who was appointed in 2012. The main vision of the city is "Building of
moderate city through the supply of relatively increased utility services to the citizens who pay taxes to the Galle Municipal Council ".
The other vision is to brand Galle as "Green City-Green Galle" to create and promote Galle as one of Sri Lanka's cool and healthy
coastal cities with a clean green canopy.
[6]
Climate [edit]
Galle features a tropical rainforest climate. The city has no true dry season, though it is noticeably drier in the months of January
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[hide]
Ethnicity in Galle (2001)
Population Percent
Sinhalese 72.70%
Muslims 25.55%
Tamils 1.37%
Others 0.38%
and February. As is commonplace with many cities with this type of climate, temperatures show little variation throughout the course
of the year, with average temperatures hovering at around 26 degrees Celsius throughout.
Climate data for Galle
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean C (F)
25
(77)
26
(79)
27
(81)
27
(81)
27
(81)
27
(81)
26
(79)
26
(79)
26
(79)
26
(79)
26
(79)
25
(77)
26
(79)
Precipitation mm (inches)
102
(4.02)
86
(3.39)
117
(4.61)
241
(9.49)
297
(11.69)
206
(8.11)
165
(6.5)
155
(6.1)
213
(8.39)
340
(13.39)
302
(11.89)
178
(7.01)
2,403
(94.61)
Source: Weatherbase
[7]
Demographics [edit]
Galle is a sizeable city, by Sri Lankan standards, and has a population of 91 000, the majority of whom are of Sinhalese ethnicity.
There is also a large Sri Lankan Moor minority, particularly in the fort area, who descend from Arab merchants that settled in the
ancient port of Galle. Galle is also notable for its foreign population, both residents and owners of holiday homes.
Ethnicity Population
[8]
% Of Total
Sinhalese 66,114 72.70
Sri Lankan Moors 23,234 25.55
Sri Lankan Tamils 989 1.09
Indian Tamils 255 0.28
Other (including Burgher, Malay) 342 0.38
Total 90,934 100
Education [edit]
Schools [edit]
Main article: List of schools in Sri Lanka
Galle is home to some of the oldest leading schools in Sri Lanka: 29 government schools and 5 international schools being part of
the city's system. Some of the schools situated in Galle city are listed below.
Richmond College
Mahinda College
St. Aloysius' College
Southlands College
Sanghamitta Girls College
Sacred Heart Convent
Leeds International School
Ceylinco Sussex College
Olcott College
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Faculty of Engineering, Galle
NIBM, Galle
Vidyaloka College
All Saints College
Malharus Sulhiya National College
Rippon Girls' College
Anula Devi Balika Vidyalaya
Muslim Ladies College
British College Sri Lanka
Kingston International School
Thomas Gall International School
Universities [edit]
Two main faculties of the University of Ruhuna are located in Galle. The Faculty of
Engineering is located at Hapugala about 6 km from the city center. The faculty of Medicine
is located at Karapitiya near the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. The Medical faculty is also
located at about 5 km from the city center.The Division of Allied Health Sciences of the
University of Ruhuna is located in Mahamodara in the city limits. A study centre of the Open
University of Sri Lanka is also located in Galle at Labuduwa junction.
Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna
Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna
Division of Allied Health Sciences,University of Ruhuna
Study Centre, Open University of Sri Lanka
Higher Education Institutes [edit]
Advanced Technological Institute in Labuduwa, Galle was started in year 2000 and it was
planned to offer Higher National Diploma in Information Technology - HNDIT and Higher
National Diploma in Agriculture Technology - HNDT (Agri). Since then Labuduwa ATI has
been a pioneer in technological education in Sri Lanka. 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.The Ruhunu National
College of Education which is under the Ministry of Education for novice teachers training for
government schools in Kurunduwatta,Galle.And also the Amarasooriya Teachers Training
College for government school teachers is in Unawatuna,Galle.
Advanced Technological Institute (ATI)
National Institute of Business Management (NIBM)
Ruhunu National College of Education
Amarasooriya Teachers Training College
Merchantile Seaman Training Institute(MSTI)
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Southern Expressway
Transport [edit]
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 serve as the meeting point
of the west-coast and south-coast segments of the line.
[9]
The A2 highway, which is
commonly known as the Galle Road runs through the city and connects Galle to Colombo by
the west-coast portion, and to Hambanthota by the south-coast portion. The Southern
Expressway, Sri Lanka's first E Class highway links the Sri Lankan capital Colombo with
Galle and currently reduces the time spent for travel to one hour from the three hours taken
by the regular A2 highway.
Twin cities [edit]
The City of Galle is twinned with:
Country City State / Region Since
Netherlands Velsen North Holland 1988
Although not an official twin city, Melbourne, Australia 'adopted' Galle after the 2004 tsunami disaster, funding the
reconstruction of its cricket ground, and providing financial and other supports.
Gallery [edit]
Main roundabout area

A street in Galle city

A mosque in Galle fort

Marine walk and Galle
harbor across the bay

Galle countryside
(Wakwella)

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A church in Galle fort

Old fortress & light
house

Grass-clad walls of fort

Lighthouse in Galle fort

Dutch Reformed Church
See also [edit]
Galle Fort
Hikkaduwa
Unawatuna
References [edit]
1. ^ "Medieval Traveller Ibn Battuta was a Guest of the Jaffna King in 1344" . Ilankai Tamil Sangam. 2006.
2. ^ "Pitching it Up: The Galle International Stadium" . World Cricket Watch. 2011.
3. ^ "VOC Galle Dutch Fort, South Coast, Sri Lanka (A World Heritage Site)" . My Sri Lanka Holidays. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
4. ^ Lanka Nest (9 March 2008). "Galle and Galle Fort." . Discover Sri Lanka. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
5. ^ "Psychosocial Forum District Data Mapping: Galle" . Psychosocial Forum District Data Mapping: Galle. Department of Social
Services: Galle. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
6. ^ Galle Green
7. ^ "Galle, Sri Lanka Travel Weather Averages" . Weatherbase. Retrieved 2013-01-22.
8. ^ "Population by Ethnicity according to D.S. Division and Sector: Galle District (Provisional)" . Census of Population Housing 2001.
Department of Census and Statistics. 2001. Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2013-01-22.
9. ^ "Colombo - Galle - Matara by rail" . Colombofort.com. 2011.
Galle Municipal Council
Galle Shipwreck's (Article from Divaina)
Galle harbour (Article from Divaina)
Discover Sri Lanka - Galle and Galle Fort
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External links [edit]
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, UNESCO World Heritage
Official website of the Sri Lanka Tourism Board
Corridors of Oceanic Heritage: The Maritime Archaeology Museum, Galle
Urban councils of Sri Lanka
Cities in Sri Lanka
Provincial capitals of Sri Lanka
World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka
Categories: World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka Galle Provincial capitals in Sri Lanka
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