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The Dutch Fort in Gurunagar, Jaffna – By Michael Roberts Source : thuppahis MAR Manukulasooriya, in the Sunday Observer, 1 October 2023 with this title “A distinctive Dutch archaeological site in South-East Asia” The Jaffna Fort is near the coastal village of Gurunagar [within the Jaffna Peninsula]. It was built by the Portuguese in 1619 under Phillippe de Oliveira as a four-sided garrison with ramparts, corner bastions and moats following the Portuguese invasion of Jaffna. The Dutch captured it in 1658 and expanded it to a pentagon shaped with lime stones and coral stones, inner fortifications, ramparts, corner bastions and star shaped moats. The Dutch Fort occupies 62 acres. Its base is 40 feet width and it has a slope of 20 feet width parapet walls. There were five ramparts, artillery fortifications, a protestant church, a prison, Queen’s palace, administrative hubs and 21 dug wells. There are three draw bridges between the outer fortifications ...