DIVISIONAL SECRETARIAT OFFICE - GALLE FOUR GRAVETS (Galle)

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Our Vision
An excelent and efficent public services for the people of the Divisional Secretariat Galle.


Our mission
Updating of the living standard of the people of this division through an efficent sustainable and well planned development process consisting with participation of the people, resource co-ordination and performing of service according to the state policies

The Divitional Secretariat Four Gravets Galle is Situated in District of Galle, Southern Province of Sri Lanka. This Divisional Secretariat lies in the coastal area and it spreads in the area less than 5 smiles along the coastal belt and it spreads in the area of about 4 miles from the coastal belt to inside the city.


AN OLD EUROPEAN TOWN IN GALLE

The City of Galle is the capital city of Southern Province. Legend has it Galle got her name from the large number of bullock carts parked within the city. The place was called "Gaala" which later became Galle.

Galle depicts fantastical Galle fort. Dutch atmosphere is still alive in the Galle fort. Any one who visits Galle fort could feel an old European kingdom which we could read in History books.
Firstly, Portuguese constructed Galle fort. It was a small kingdom consisted with three Guard rooms Portugeese lived in Galle and conducted their trade with the hill country. Later Dutch were able to invade Galle and acquire the Galle Fort. During dutch invasion they were able to build Galle fort more widely and stongly.

Fort walls were built with Granite stones Hight of the walls are about 50-70m. width of the walls are about 50m. Main door of the fort is faced to East and other two doors are faced to North . On East fort is faced to present Galle town and other sides of the fort is surrownded by the ocean.
Galle fort is larger than the other forts built in Sri Lanka. Extent is 96 Acres. A survey conducted by the Department of Archilogy reaveled that there was a marshy land in both sides of the former Galle Town. At present Galle international cricket stadium may be situated in that marshy land. There were many Guard rooms were named as zwart Bastion, Utrect Bastion,Triton Bastion, Neptune Bastion, Utrect Bastion, Ttriton Bastion, Neptune Bastion, Clippen Berg Bastion, Star Bastion and Sun Bastion and Aurora Bastion etc. Soliders guarded the fort during day and night.

First administrator of the fort is Admiral Costal. First Light House of Sri Lanka is situated at Galle fort. It was situated at the area called as flag Rock Bastion. Later on it was destroyed and present light House was built on 1930. Clock tower of the Galle was built on the area where the Moon Bastian guard room was situated.
A Small plan of galle fort draw to a scale is kept at the National Museum Galle Fort. Any one who visits Museum could obtain good knowledge about Galle Museum by examming the plan.

Dutch seized Galle fort from the Portuguese and there after English invaders seized from the Dutch. Even though the English invaders captured the city from the Dutch rulers 150 years later it is neverthelessthe dutch influence that is heavily felt today.
Any one who enters Galle fort from the North wstern entrence could see the V.O.C. (Vereenigte Oostindische)emblem in the inner wall of the entrence . This emblem was fixed on 1669. Before entering Galle fort from this entrence the emblem of the English could be seen. This is a very important place where both Dutch and English emlems could be seen in a same place.

In my point of view I think that Dutch V.O.C.emblem was first fixed in the outer wall of the North western entrence of the fort. After the English invasion English invaders may be removed the V.O.C.emblem and fixed their emblem at the outer wall of the entrance and fixed Dutch V.O.C. emblem at the inner wall of the fort entrence.
Important buildings remaining in Galle fort are Kachcheri building (Dutch Hospital) Court building, Hotel, Museum and Dutch Cherch etc.

Queit narrow streets and alleyways in the Galle fort are same as a square rule page and still hold the charm of old Galle, as they have changed little since colonial time. Leyn Barn streets Light house Street, Peddler Street are the some of roads in Galle fort Buildings were constructed in the either sides of the roads. Even though there were no drains in the either sides of the road, waste materials of the houses mixed with rain water and collected into drains under the roads through the holes in the middle of the roads. Under ground drains run to the sea. Waste materials in the drains washed with the sea water with out any energy. This is a natural way of discarding waste and materials. Court yards and balconies are a special features in Dutch Architecture. Those parts of the houses could be seen in the old Dutch houses constructed in Galle fort. Those features could also be seen in some rich houses in the island. Door frames with arches also a special features in the new constructions take place in Galle fort. At present former dutch country is called as Netherland and their attention and assistance drawn to our country is very much essential. Galle Herritage foundation has taken every possible step to protect and reconstruct Galle fort with out destroying it’s original features.

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