Things to see and do Southern Coast

Located on the south-eastern tip of the fort, this lighthouse is maintained by Sri Lanka Authority Ports. The original lighthouse, built in 1848 and which was the oldest in the country, was destroyed by a fire in 1934. It was rebuilt in 1938 and overlooks 27 meters sea level. It was rebuilt in 300 metres from the old lighthouse, on a rocky promontory, formerly occupied by the bastion of Utrecht. From there, it is impossible to miss a boat entering the port of Galle. A pedestrian path along the lighthouse leads to a small beach below.

The Dutch reformed church Galle or Groote Kerk) is the oldest Protestant church in the country. Built in 1755 by a Dutch governor, it stands on the site of what was, before 1640 and the capture of Galle, a convent of Portuguese capucins. It seems that it is the third reformed church built by the Dutch in Galle. The first was next to the clock tower, the second opposite the current church. The church was built on the highest point of the fort, at an altitude of 12 metres, in a doric style. It respects a cruciform plan, despite shortened transepts. They are separated from the nave by a double arch. The absence of a central pillar to support the weight of the roof is compensated by the two gables north and south, typical of the Dutch style. Pine nuts are topped by three flames and are decorated with round, unique stucco in Sri Lanka. Raised benches were placed along the walls and were reserved for the Commander of the fort, the deacons and for official of the Dutch Company Oriental Indies (VOC). The benches placed in the south of the church were dismantled to place the altar of the Anglican community when it invested building in 1867. The belfry on the other side of the street is former to the church. The bell was cast in 1709 and was used to gather the faithful for the service. The reformed church was renovated in 2004 with the help of the Netherlands.

This beautiful white mosque, also known as the Galle Fort Mosque, faces the ocean and is a stone's throw from the lighthouse. The building was originally a Portuguese church, built on the site of a mosque dating from 1750, and only became a mosque in 1904. The numbers painted on the wall of the façade indicate the year 1325 Hijri (corresponding to the year 1907 in the Gregorian calendar), which supports the thesis that a prayer space existed here before the 20th century. Next to it is the Galle Muslim Cultural Association, which has been located here since 1965.

Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) is a non-governmental organization that protects nesting sites, unlike local hatcheries that collect eggs and hatch them off the beach. The nearby Rekawa lagoon is a good place for sea turtles to lay their eggs. Here you can see five of the seven species present in Sri Lanka visiting the beach area. You have to be patient because, like any natural event, the arrival of the turtles does not take place at a fixed time. It is still rare not to see one.