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Overview
The Portuguese completed the construction of the Fort in Trincomalee in
1624 after destroying the Koneswaram Temple on Swami Rock. Originally
the Fort had only three Bastions but when it was captured by the Dutch
in 1639 it was abandoned, and later re-fortified in 1675 and named Fort
Fedrick. In 1795 the British captured it after a four-day bombardment
and it became the first possession of the British in Sri Lanka.
Fort Fredrick is currently occupied by the Sri Lankan military, but you can go through it and visit the Koneswaram temple. With the end of the war, most of the restrictions have been relaxed.
Trincomalee was the first land to be captured by the British who fought and defeated the Dutch, who did not want to surrender Ceylon as directed by the Prince of Orange, who took refuge in London after being defeated by the French republicans under Napoleon. As such Trincomalee has served as an entrance to a Western invader from Calcutta. The British held it until Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948.
The importance of Fort Fredrick was due to Trincomalee’s natural harbour. Until 1957, Trincomalee was an important base for the Royal Navy and was home to many British people who were employed by the British Admiralty.
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