coordinates: 6º02'15 N 80º13'02 E
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Galle |
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Gale, Galen, Gaalen, Punto de Galle, Puncto Galle |
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VOC |
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Landmonsterrollen |
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1640 - 1796 |
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Ceylon (VOC-gebied) |
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Sri Lanka |
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A view of Adams Mountain from Galle
A view of the castle at Punto Gale
A view of the castle of Punto Gale
A view of the castle of Punto Gale
Bastion of the fort at Galle
Bell tower at Galle
Bird's eye view map of the city of Gale
Building near the fort at Galle
Building near the fort at Galle
Building near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Buildings within the fort at Galle
Chart showing the Maldives and the tip of Sri Lanka
City gate near the warehouse in Galle
City gate near the warehouses at Galle
City wall east of Galle
Commander's house in Galle
Cross-section of part of the fort at Galle
Door of a building within the fort at Galle
Door of a house in Galle
Door of the former home of a commander in Galle
Dutch church in Galle
Eastern city wall in Galle
English Church within the fort at Galle
Entrance gate to the former Closenburg country house in Galle
Flagpole hut at Galle
Former hospital within the fort at Galle
Frontage of a house in Galle
Frontage of a house in Galle
Frontage of the church at Galle
Frontage of the Dutch church in Galle
Frontage of the Protestant church at Galle
Gable of the Protestant church at Galle
Galle's western city wall
Gallery of the former Closenburg country house at Galle
Harbour or bay of Gale
House in Galle
Houses in Galle
Interior of the Dutch church at Galle
Interior of the Dutch church at Galle
Lighthouse near the fort at Galle
Main entrance to the fort at Galle
Map and profile of a waterway for the fort at Gale
Map of Asia
Map of Asia
Map of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon and 22 forts
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the Maldives
Map of Ceylon with the Adams bridge
Map of East Indies
Map of fortifications on Ceylon
Map of Gaale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of India to Japan
Map of Punto Galle
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of Sri Lanka
Map of the Bay of Bengal
Map of the bay of Gale
Map of the bay of Gale
Map of the castle at Punto Gale
Map of the East African coast
Map of the eastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Galle
Map of the fort at Galle
Map of the fort at Galle and environs
Map of the fortifications at Galle
Map of the Galle roadstead
Map of the Gulf of Bengal
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the southern part of Ceylon
Map of the southern point of Ceylon and the Adams bridge
Map of the west coast of Ceylon from Manarbel to Punto Gale
Map showing the expedition to Candy, Ceylon
Maps of Mantotte, Manaar, Nanatan, Moeselie, Wallalawiette Corle, Gale Corle
Maps of the city of Punto Gale and the fort of Manaar
Memorial plaque in the Dutch church at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Powder hut near the Utrecht bastion at Galle
Preliminary study for a view of Gale
Preliminary study for a view of Galle
Profile of the fortifications at Galle
Profile of the fortifications at Galle, part B
Profiles of the fort at Gale
Profiles of the fort at Gale
Protestant church at Galle
Punto Gale overrun by Willem Jacobsz. Coster
Ruins of the fort at Galle
Sinhalese script like that seen in the region of the Adamsberg mountain
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
View of Gale
View of Galle
View of Galle
View of Galle
View of Punto Galle
View of the castle of Punto Gala from the roadstead
View of the courtyard of the castle of Punto Gale
View of the fort at Gale
View of the fort at Galle
View of the port of Galle
View of the roadstead at Punto Gale
View of the roofs of several houses and the church at Galle
View of the roofs of several houses and the church at Galle
Views and maps of twelve cities
Views and maps of two cities
Warehouse in the fort at Galle
A view of the castle at Punto Gale
A view of the castle of Punto Gale
A view of the castle of Punto Gale
Bastion of the fort at Galle
Bell tower at Galle
Bird's eye view map of the city of Gale
Building near the fort at Galle
Building near the fort at Galle
Building near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within or near the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Building within the fort at Galle
Buildings within the fort at Galle
Chart showing the Maldives and the tip of Sri Lanka
City gate near the warehouse in Galle
City gate near the warehouses at Galle
City wall east of Galle
Commander's house in Galle
Cross-section of part of the fort at Galle
Door of a building within the fort at Galle
Door of a house in Galle
Door of the former home of a commander in Galle
Dutch church in Galle
Eastern city wall in Galle
English Church within the fort at Galle
Entrance gate to the former Closenburg country house in Galle
Flagpole hut at Galle
Former hospital within the fort at Galle
Frontage of a house in Galle
Frontage of a house in Galle
Frontage of the church at Galle
Frontage of the Dutch church in Galle
Frontage of the Protestant church at Galle
Gable of the Protestant church at Galle
Galle's western city wall
Gallery of the former Closenburg country house at Galle
Harbour or bay of Gale
House in Galle
Houses in Galle
Interior of the Dutch church at Galle
Interior of the Dutch church at Galle
Lighthouse near the fort at Galle
Main entrance to the fort at Galle
Map and profile of a waterway for the fort at Gale
Map of Asia
Map of Asia
Map of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon and 22 forts
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the Maldives
Map of Ceylon with the Adams bridge
Map of East Indies
Map of fortifications on Ceylon
Map of Gaale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of Gale
Map of India to Japan
Map of Punto Galle
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of Sri Lanka
Map of the Bay of Bengal
Map of the bay of Gale
Map of the bay of Gale
Map of the castle at Punto Gale
Map of the East African coast
Map of the eastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Gale
Map of the fort at Galle
Map of the fort at Galle
Map of the fort at Galle and environs
Map of the fortifications at Galle
Map of the Galle roadstead
Map of the Gulf of Bengal
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the southern part of Ceylon
Map of the southern point of Ceylon and the Adams bridge
Map of the west coast of Ceylon from Manarbel to Punto Gale
Map showing the expedition to Candy, Ceylon
Maps of Mantotte, Manaar, Nanatan, Moeselie, Wallalawiette Corle, Gale Corle
Maps of the city of Punto Gale and the fort of Manaar
Memorial plaque in the Dutch church at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Perimeter wall of the fort at Galle
Powder hut near the Utrecht bastion at Galle
Preliminary study for a view of Gale
Preliminary study for a view of Galle
Profile of the fortifications at Galle
Profile of the fortifications at Galle, part B
Profiles of the fort at Gale
Profiles of the fort at Gale
Protestant church at Galle
Punto Gale overrun by Willem Jacobsz. Coster
Ruins of the fort at Galle
Sinhalese script like that seen in the region of the Adamsberg mountain
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The fort at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Maan, or Moon, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
The Ster, or Star, bastion of the fort at Galle
View of Gale
View of Galle
View of Galle
View of Galle
View of Punto Galle
View of the castle of Punto Gala from the roadstead
View of the courtyard of the castle of Punto Gale
View of the fort at Gale
View of the fort at Galle
View of the port of Galle
View of the roadstead at Punto Gale
View of the roofs of several houses and the church at Galle
View of the roofs of several houses and the church at Galle
Views and maps of twelve cities
Views and maps of two cities
Warehouse in the fort at Galle
prior
From 1640 onwards, the VOC maintained a presence in Galle, the main port in southern Ceylon. Ships needed a pilot to reach the harbour here because the entrance to the bay was full of treacherous rocks.
The VOC extended and strengthened the fort at Galle, which the Portuguese had abandoned. Every year on December 25 the great homeward-bound fleet set sail from Galle laden with merchandise for the Dutch Republic. These ships met the VOC fleet from Batavia at the Cape of Good Hope from whence they embarked on the Atlantic crossing together.
Galle was one of the big transhipment ports where Asian products were collected and shipped out to the Dutch Republic. In 1771 the cargo of one ship bound for Holland comprised pepper, coffee, cardamom, sappan wood, myrrh, catechu (a remedy), and cinnamon from Ceylon. It also carried pepper, coffee, textiles, cowrie shells, saltpetre and figs from other regions. The cowrie shells were used as currency in the slave trade in Africa. Rice was imported into Galle.
The Company forged an alliance with the king of Kandy to drive the Portuguese out of Ceylon. But once the Portuguese hold was broken the Company and the king became adversaries. As the Sinhalese monarch, the king continued to have great influence over the VOC's new subjects. Relations improved after 1687 when the new king of Kandy recognised the Company's sovereignty over Ceylon in addition to its trading interests.
From 1640 onwards Galle functioned as the VOC's administrative centre on Ceylon, until Colombo was captured from the Portuguese in 1656. Galle subsequently became one of the two departments, or 'commandements', into which the government of Ceylon was divided, falling under the jurisdiction of the governor in Colombo.
